On Wed, 11 Apr 2001, Larry Z. Daily wrote:
> Good morning all,
>
> I have a colleague who is interested in doing a longitudinal study who asked
> me about the pros and cons of such a design. We're meeting soon to go over
> them. I don't really do longitudinal research, but I've been looking into it
> for her. My question: other than the Campbell & Stanley problems with any
> one group, pre-test post-test design (e.g., history, maturation) are there
> any other problems with longitudinal research I should be aware of?
>
Cohort problems, although this is a concern only if it's really
long longitudinal. This refers to the fact that a sample of
people studied from a particular time period have the special
characteristics of that time period, and times may have since
changed. For example, it's virtually impossible to find
left-handed people in old-age homes, a grim reminder of what
awaits kak-handed me. Now this may be because I'm gonna die
young.
But it may instead be due to the fact that when now elderly
people were young, left-handedness was considered a significant
disability, and children were routinely forced to write with
their right. So lefties were scarce in that cohort. We don't
smack people anymore for picking up a pencil with their left
hand, so perhaps a few left-handers will start showing up in
old-folks homes. At least I hope so.
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
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