Approaches Cross - sectional approach Cross - cultural approach Longitudinal approach

1. MODULE 2: PERSPECTIVES OF HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT (2 Credits)
Unit 4: Methods and Approaches of Studying Human
development
a) Methods:
Observation (Participatory And Non- Participatory)
b) Experimental & Clinical.
c) Approaches:
Cross Sectional, Cross Cultural, Longitudinal.
Mrs.Deepali Gaikwad / Borde

2. INTRODUCTION
Meaning of APPROACHES:
 A way of dealing with a situation or problem.
 An approach in studying child development is important
as it helps to understand the way the child behaves in
different age group.

3. Approaches
CROSS - SECTIONAL APPROACH
CROSS - CULTURAL APPROACH
LONGITUDINAL APPROACH

4. Cross sectional approach
 Cross-sectional research studies are based on
observations that take place in different groups at one time.
 A cross section means “a typical or representative
sample of a large group”.
 Cross-sectional research involves using different groups of
people who differ in the variable of interest but share other
characteristics, such as socioeconomic status, educational
background, and ethnicity.
Meaning and Definition

5.  Cross-sectional method examines several groups
of people at one point in time.
 For example, if you investigated changes in social
behaviour in 20-, 30-, and 40-year olds all
measured at one point in time, you would be
conducting a cross-sectional research study.
 The cross sectional method of investigation often
is used when the research aim is to compare
developmental levels at various ages or
backgrounds.

6.  Many children at different ages are studied in groups in according to their
age, and the results on the same sets of measures are compared for the
group.
 Example, the approximate age at which an infant can be expected to roll
over, creep, crawl, pull himself up to a standing position, and walk unaided
can be determined by observing the behavior of groups of children from
birth until the age of about 15 months.
 If the investigator, study a group of one month old infants, another group of
two month olds, and a different group of babies at every month of age
thereafter, we will have a cross sectional approach.

7. Characteristics :
 People are studied at a “point” in time, without follow up.
 Variables are not manipulated by researchers
 Provide information only; do not answer why
 Cross-sectional studies include surveys
 Allows teachers to look at numerous things
at once (age, income, gender)

8.  In psychology, cross-sectional research studies
are often used by researchers studying
developmental psychology.
 They often do this to examine changes in similar
groups at different ages.
 However, a cross-sectional study may also
compare groups from different backgrounds.
 A cross sectional study may also compare
people from different backgrounds.
Uses

9. Advantages/Merits
 Using a cross-sectional design has one advantage in that a study can be
conducted in a shorter amount of time as opposed to waiting for a group of
5 year olds to reach the age of 15 and observe the changes in social behavior
over the course of 10 years
 A cross-sectional study may also compare people from different backgrounds.
 Cross-sectional studies help us to identify the age-demarcated transitions
during which one or more changes take place, and individual differences in
the ages at which an ability is acquired.

10.  Efficient, large numbers of subjects
 Can measure attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, personal or family
history, genetic factors, existing or past health conditions, or
anything else that does not require follow-up to assess.
 Easy and quick
 Less expensive
 Can target a larger sample size

11. Limitations/ Demerits / Disadvantages
 Differences do not necessarily reflect individual’s development
 Differences between age groups reveal just that – differences – and not the process of
developmental change within the child.
 Information on individual change is not available
 Risk of no-response
 Cannot be used to analysed behaviour over a period to time.
 Does not help determine cause and effect.

12. Cross Cultural Approach

13. Meaning:
 The study of the relationship between cultural
context and human behaviour.
 This approach comparing two or more cultures and
understanding their values, beliefs and norms.
 Dealing with or offering comparison between two or
more different cultures or cultural areas.
 People differ culturally to the extent that their customs,
roles and other learned behaviours that are passed on
from generation to generation are different.

14. Merits or advantages
 The advantage of the cross-cultural approach as compared with the single
cultural research approach is that the possibilities for misinterpretation are less
with the former.
 It permits generalization to other societies or cultures or subcultures of the
same nation
 Confirming and exploring the university of some relationship or attribute of
social man
 It maximize the amount or range of variation.

15.  Natural experiments, in which regions differ In some
environmental factor which can be studied using an
experimental treatment
 Maximum variability studies.
 It helps in inter-cultural awareness.

16. Limitations/ Demerits / Disadvantages
 Cultural variations
 Order of needs does not always hold true for other cultures
 Biased response/risk of no-response
 Expensive as compared to cross sectional study
 Interpretation may vary from person to person

17.  The studies might be unsuccessfully, the researcher
could be stuck.
 Time consuming.
 It is difficult to reach a conclusion.

18. Longitudinal Approach

19. Meaning:
 A longitudinal study is an observational research method in which data is gathered for
the same subjects repeatedly over a period of time. Longitudinal research projects can
extend over years or even decades.
 Is a research in which a researcher measures a particular group of people for a long
period of time.
 In this research method, many observation are being conducted over long periods of
time on the same group or number of people.
 Example –
A group of new-born babies who were available for month-by-month measurements,
one can complete the study with repeated observations.

20. Characteristics :
 Longer duration
 Specific individual development can be
studied
 Include surveys
 expensive

21. Merits or advantages
 Specific development pattern of individual can be studies and compared .
 Variation in development among individuals within the sample can be studied – since it tracks
the performance of each person over time, research can identify common patterns as well as
individual differences in development.
 This studies permit investigators to examine relationships between early and later events and
behaviours.
 Effective in doing research on developmental trends.
 They are more powerful than cross sectional studies.
 They are highly flexible.
 They can provide high accuracy when observing changes.

22. Limitations/ Demerits / Disadvantages
 Long period
 Time consuming
 More expensive
 Difficulty in maintaining data
 Risk of sample size reducing due to change in place etc.
 Cannot be repeated because of practical constraints.