Question

Studying infants and children can be a challenge to psychologists. What are some of the methods used in developmental research? What are the results and implications of this work?

Answer 1

Various methods are used in developmental research. These methods are as following:-

1. Longitudinal approach:- This is an approach in which a child is being observed for over a period of time. This period may be from months to years. During this period, various changes are being noticed. This is a costly and time consuming process.

2. Cross sectional method:- In this method various changes are noticed in children of different different age group. This noticing of changes in different different children takes place simultaneously. This type of approach basically provides information about age related changes. It is not time consuming because we can study different age groups at the same time.

3. Sequential study approach:- This is basically combination of two approaches described above. Here the changes in individual is being noticed along with changes in participants of different age groups at the same time. It is a costly process.

No single method can provide sufficient data for reaching to a meaningful conclusion. Three remains a need to imply various statistical tools in order to interpret various events with a proper meaning. Various variables can alter results significantly.

Role of conscious mind, unconscious mind, ethical concerns, moral aspects, social constraints, nurturing environment and nature of children; are some of the parameters which can not be controlled at the same time. A complete understanding can be developed only after making comparisons of different different studies.