The local health department of a small town has hired a research firm to study the development of cancer in residents in the town due to a suspected cancer-causing agent and environmental pollution. The researcher will compare data on participants every 10 years (e.g., at ages 10, 20, 30, etc.) to see if there are increasing rates of cancer in the town. This type of research study is called a ________ design.
A) cross-sequential
B) longitudinal
C) behavior genetics
D) cross-sectional

Question

The local health department of a small town has hired a research firm to study the development of cancer in residents in the town due to a suspected cancer-causing agent and environmental pollution. The researcher will compare data on participants every 10 years (e.g., at ages 10, 20, 30, etc.) to see if there are increasing rates of cancer in the town. This type of research study is called a ________ design.
A) cross-sequential
B) longitudinal 
C) behavior genetics
D) cross-sectional

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design involves following a group of participants over an extended period of time, in this case, every 10 years. This allows for the researcher to see if there are changes or trends in the development of cancer in the town. A cross-sectional design would involve comparing different age groups at one point in time, which would not provide information on changes over time. A cross-sequential design combines both longitudinal and cross-sectional designs by following multiple age groups over time, but this is not specified in the scenario. Behavior genetics is a field of study focused on the genetic and environmental influences on behavior, not specific research designs.

The Local Health Department of a Small Town Has Hired