A researcher is aware that playing certain computer games can impact people's moods. She wonders whether these effects might vary with age. She recruits a group of students, a group of middle-aged adults, and a group of elderly adults to participate in her study to test her hypothesis. The research design is best described as a non-experimental design.

Question

A.
longitudinal

B.
cohort

C.
panel

D.
cross-sectional

Answer 1

The research design described in your scenario is best characterized as a cross-sectional design (option D).

In cross-sectional studies, researchers collect data at a single point in time from different groups (or cohorts) to compare them. In your case, the researcher is comparing three distinct age groups (students, middle-aged adults, and elderly adults) at the same time to observe differences in responses to computer games and their effects on mood.

Here’s a brief overview of other options:

• Longitudinal design involves collecting data from the same subjects repeatedly over a period of time.
• Cohort design is similar to cross-sectional but typically involves studying a specific cohort over time.
• Panel design typically focuses on the same individuals across various measurements, similar to longitudinal studies.

Thus, the correct answer is D. cross-sectional.