Time Sampling

The study of development and behavior change often makes use of longitudinal data, wherein characteristics of one or more individuals and their contexts are measured on two or more occasions. Time sampling is a general term that refers to the selection and collection of repeated measures data—including the number, duration, and interval of observations. This entry introduces the basic premises of time sampling and reviews some issues to consider when selecting when and how often to obtain the repeated measures. Different time sampling strategies have developed for study of different phases of the life span (e.g., childhood, adolescence, adulthood) and for study of behaviors that manifest at different cadences (e.g., over the course of seconds, minutes, months, decades). During periods of the life span when ...