What are examples of longitudinal studies?
What are examples of longitudinal studies?
Longitudinal studies are found in many research fields where time is an important factor. Let’s look at examples in three different research areas.
Education
Classroom research is often longitudinal because of the acknowledgment that successful learning takes place over time and not merely in a single class session. Such studies take place over several classes, perhaps over a semester or an entire academic year. A researcher might observe the same group of students as they progress academically or, conversely, identify any significant decline in learning outcomes to determine how changes in teaching and learning over time might affect student development.
Health sciences
Medical research often relies on longitudinal studies to determine the effectiveness and risk factors involved with drugs, treatments, or other medical remedies. Consider a dietary supplement that is purported to help people lose weight. Perhaps, in the beginning, people who take this supplement actually do lose weight. But what happens later on? Do they keep the weight off, gain it back or, even worse, gain even more weight in the long term? A longitudinal study can help researchers determine if that supplement produces sustainable results or is merely a quick fix that has negative side effects later on.
Marketing
Product life cycles and market trends can take extended periods of time to manifest. In the meantime, competing products might enter the market and consequently affect customer loyalty and product image. If a cross-sectional study captures a snapshot of opinions in the marketplace, then think of a longitudinal study as several snapshots spread out over time to allow researchers to observe changes in market behavior and their underlying causes as time passes.
