← Chapter 9
Psychology · Chapter 9

Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal

To study how people change with age, a researcher must choose who to test and when. The same grid of people can be sliced three ways — and each slice answers a different question, with a different hidden cost. Pick a design and watch the grid.

Pick a design

Each cell = how old that birth cohort is in that testing year.
cross-sectionallongitudinalsequential
Three ways to study changechoose a design above