A developmental psychologist believes that increased TV watching by young children is responsible for a decline in reading scores when these children enter school. To explore her hypothesis, she records the TV watching habits of toddlers in a suburban community. She examines these habits again when the children enter kindergarten and once more when they complete first grade. This method is _______.
A) longitudinal
B) cross-sectional
C) convergent
D) experimental

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The method described in the scenario involves following a group of individuals over time, which is characteristic of a longitudinal study. This allows the researcher to examine changes in behavior or development over the course of multiple assessments. Cross-sectional studies involve examining different groups of individuals at a single point in time, while convergent studies involve combining findings from multiple sources. Experimental studies involve manipulating variables to test causal relationships, and there is no mention of such manipulation in this scenario.

A Developmental Psychologist Believes That Increased TV Watching by Young