AP Psychology Lesson: Research Methods in Developmental Psychology

Unit: Development and Learning | Lesson: 1 of 3 | Topic: Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
AP Exam Weighting: 15%–25% of exam score 
Instructions: Complete this lesson during class by filling in the blanks and answering questions. All information needed is provided or will be researched in class. This lesson prepares you for the AP Psychology exam by exploring how research methods study developmental processes, a key concept in understanding behavior across the lifespan. Use the provided spaces to write your answers clearly, focusing on applying concepts critically.

Warm-Up

Purpose: Get you thinking about how psychologists study development.
Questions:

  1. How might researchers study why children behave differently at different ages?
  2. Why might it be hard to study someone’s behavior over their entire life?
    Your Answers: Write a short response (1– Regina for each question.

Key Concepts

Instructions: Read the information below and answer the questions to learn core AP concepts. For definitions, write them in your own words based on the content or look up a different definition if directed by your teacher (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar).
Content: Developmental psychology studies how behavior and mental processes change across the lifespan. Longitudinal studies track the same individuals over time (e.g., studying cognitive development from childhood to adulthood). Cross-sectional studies compare different age groups at one time (e.g., memory skills in 5- vs. 10-year-olds). Cohort-sequential studies combine longitudinal and cross-sectional methods to study developmental trends efficiently. Case studies provide in-depth data on individuals (e.g., a child with unique developmental needs). Example: A longitudinal study might show how early attachment affects adult relationships. Reliability ensures consistent results, while validity ensures the study measures what it intends. Ethical considerations, like informed consent and minimizing harm, are critical in developmental research due to vulnerable populations (e.g., children).

  1. Define developmental psychology in your own words: _______________________________
  2. Define longitudinal study in your own words: _______________________________
  3. Define cross-sectional study in your own words: _______________________________
  4. Explain how a case study can reveal developmental processes, using a specific example:
  1. Explain how a cohort-sequential study benefits developmental research, using a different example:
  1. How does reliability ensure trustworthy developmental research findings?
  1. Why are ethical considerations especially important in developmental psychology?
  1. How could a lack of validity affect conclusions about developmental behavior?

Guided Activity

Instructions: Work in pairs to complete the two tasks below. Write your answers and be prepared to share one key point from each task with the class.
Task 1: Scenario Analysis: Scenario: Researchers track a group of children from age 5 to 15 to study social skill development. Analyze how a longitudinal study and ethical considerations apply to this research. For example, consider how tracking over time reveals changes and why consent is critical.
Your Response for Task 1: Explain the role of each concept in the research.

Class Share for Task 1: Note one point you’ll share.

Task 2: Case Application: Imagine a study comparing emotional regulation in teenagers and adults at one point in time. Apply the concepts of cross-sectional study and validity to explain the study’s design and potential challenges. For example, evaluate how group differences or measurement issues affect results.
Your Response for Task 2: Apply the concepts to explain the study’s design and challenges.

Class Share for Task 2: Note one point you’ll share.

Class Assignment - Refer to the assignment file for this lesson

Instructions: Read the study summaries below and answer the questions. If directed by your teacher, use a classroom device to find a related study (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar) to deepen your analysis.
Study Summary 1: A 2015 longitudinal study followed children from age 3 to 18, finding that early language skills predicted academic success, but participant dropout reduced sample size.
Question 1: How does this study demonstrate the strengths and limitations of longitudinal research, and what might mitigate dropout effects?

Study Summary 2: A 2018 cross-sectional study compared cognitive flexibility in 8-, 12-, and 16-year-olds, but cultural differences between groups affected results.
Question 2: Evaluate how this study illustrates the role of validity in cross-sectional research, and suggest one way to improve its design.

AP Exam Connection: This practices analyzing and evaluating research, a key skill for FRQs.

AP Exam Practice

Instructions: Answer the question below. We’ll review answers as a class to learn exam strategies.
Free-Response Question (FRQ):
Explain how longitudinal studies, cross-sectional studies, and ethical considerations interact to influence developmental psychology research. Provide one example for each factor (longitudinal studies, cross-sectional studies, ethical considerations) and analyze how they interact to shape research outcomes.

Closure

Instructions: Write a brief summary (2–3 sentences) of two key ideas you learned today about how research methods influence our understanding of developmental psychology.

Extended Practice

Instructions: Complete the tasks below based on today’s lesson to reinforce AP skills.

  1. Review your answers from this lesson.
  2. Write a detailed paragraph (5–7 sentences) applying today’s topic to a real-life developmental research scenario (e.g., studying how childhood experiences affect adult behavior). Include references to longitudinal studies, cross-sectional studies, and ethical considerations, and explain their interaction.
  1. Find a short article or study on developmental psychology research methods (e.g., via apa.org) and write 2–3 sentences summarizing its relevance to today’s lesson. Cite the source (e.g., website or article title).
Last modified: Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 8:07 PM