A number of descriptive methods are available to developmental scientists. Describe two and

present one advantage and disadvantage for employing each. When would a researcher employ
these? What kind of data do they produce?

What will be an ideal response?

Answers will vary. The three major types are case study, naturalistic observation, laboratory
observation.
1. Case study – in-depth understanding a unique event, employed for unique event or to identify
variables; not generalizable.
2. naturalistic – ecological validity, observer bias, employed for understanding behavior in real world.
3. laboratory observation – some control of variables, loss of ecological validity, used to gain some
control over variables identified in naturalistic observations or to limit extraneous variables;
correlational results