Developmental psychology
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| cohort/ˈkəʊhɔːt/ | 同龄群体 | tóng líng qún tǐ |
| attrition/əˈtrɪʃn/ | 样本流失 | yàng běn liú shī |
A decision before an answer
- Older and younger groups differ today. That difference can reflect age, but also the different worlds in which they grew up.
- Your goal: Compare developmental theories and lifespan changes.
Read the relationship
- Development covers the lifespan and multiple domains, not just childhood milestones.
- Analyse cognitive, language and social development.
Following the same children for ten years is:
The same participants are measured across time.
Use the defining rule
- Cross-sectional studies compare ages at one time; longitudinal studies follow people over time.
- Distinguish longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence.
Different childhood schooling across age groups is a possible:
Historical exposure differs with generation.
Check the conditions
- Cohort effects can confound age comparisons. Longitudinal studies face attrition and repeated-testing effects.
- Distinguish longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence.
Comparing 20-year-olds and 70-year-olds on computer use cannot isolate age: they had different exposure opportunities. Following one group helps examine change but may lose participants unevenly, creating attrition bias.
Comparing different age groups at one time is a ____ design.
It observes age groups concurrently.
Apply the task format
- Theories offer different accounts of change. Apply their specific mechanisms rather than treating a stage label as an explanation.
- Distinguish longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence.
Average developmental patterns do not imply identical timing or outcomes for every person.
Which answer fits this case?
Compare developmental theories and lifespan changes
Longitudinal research automatically removes all bias.
Attrition, repeated testing and historical events can still affect results.
Keep the distinctions
- cohort 同龄群体 — People sharing a birth period or historical experience.
- attrition 样本流失 — Loss of participants during a study.
- Compare developmental theories and lifespan changes.
- Analyse cognitive, language and social development.
- Distinguish longitudinal and cross-sectional evidence.
Match each term with its precise meaning in this lesson.
Keep the distinctions stated in the teaching example.
Put this lesson’s reasoning or event sequence in order.
The order follows the stated process; check each stage before the next.