Longitudinal / Snapshot

Longitudinal / Snapshot

1. L

   • a study carried out over a long period of time and usually looks at the development of a person and their behavouir
   • strengths
     • useful
       • find out about life stages we all pass through - freud
       • exam q
         • is useful where the results of a treatment or programme are followed through and compared to a control group. useful as no participant variables and development of specific individuals is recorded 
     • qualitative data
       • reasons for behavouir and is rich and in depth
     • less reductionist
       • look at number of differnt factors over a long period of time e.g. T&C
   • weaknesses
     • high attrition rate
     • expensive and time consuming
     • qual
       • hard to analyse and subjective = down to interpretation

2. SS

   • conducted on one occasion. looks at behavouir at one time, normally a large group and compares the data 
   • strengths
     • quick
     • cheap
     • lots of data
     • low attrition
     • objective
     • quantitaive
     • exam q
       • practical
       • instant results
       • repliacalbe
   • weakness'
     • ethnocentric
       • often conducted in one area
     • lack of qualitative data
     • exam question
       • invalid
         • of results to reflect behavouir over time 
       • no understanding of changes over time
   • exam q
     • explain what is meant by a snapshot study. quick and do not involve repition of the measurement, do not take into account changes of behavouir over time