Suppose you want to investigate how abuse in early childhood affects personality development in middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

What are the advantages and
disadvantages of using cross-sectional and longitudinal research in exploring this topic?
What will be an ideal response

Answers should acknowledge that cross-sectional research is faster and less
expensive than longitudinal research. Answers should also indicate that longitudinal
research has its shortcomings. For instance, it is difficult to follow the same
individuals for a long period of time, and it is hard to assess the impact of
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participation in the research on their development. Alert students may also point out
that historical factors are always a potential source of error with both longitudinal and
cross-sectional research; results that were true for a particular cohort in one
historical period may not hold for other cohorts growing up earlier or later. For
instance, some of the long-term results of child abuse may well depend on the
attitude and actions of the community with regard to abuse and the ability of medical
personnel to detect abuse—both of which have changed markedly during the past
twenty years.