Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Case Studies

Case Studies

There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.

Observational Studies

Observational Studies

Observational studies are a type of analytical study where researchers observe events without any interventions. In other words, the researcher does not influence the response variable or the experiment's outcome.
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One example of...

Data Collection by Observations

Data Collection by Observations

Data collection refers to a systematic way of obtaining, observing, measuring, and analyzing accurate information. Observational studies are one of the most widely used methods of data collection. It involves collecting data by observing the behavior and physical characteristics of a sample without making any modifications to the sample.
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...

Naturalistic Observations

Naturalistic Observations

If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...

Longitudinal Research

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Research Interviews in Historical Practice*.

Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte·2025

Same author

Bausteine zu einer Oral History der Wissenschaftsgeschichte Auf der Suche: von der Biologie und der Philosophie zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Interview mit Soraya de Chadarevian.

Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte·2025

Same author

Asilomar Across the Atlantic: EMBO, EMBL, and the Politics of Scientific Expertise.

Journal of the history of biology·2025

Same author

Of Some Paradoxes in the Historiography of Molecular Biology.

Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte·2022

Same author

The molecular vista: current perspectives on molecules and life in the twentieth century.

History and philosophy of the life sciences·2021

Same author

COVID-19: Rethinking the nature of viruses.

History and philosophy of the life sciences·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Published on: January 7, 2019

Microstudies versus big picture accounts?

Soraya de Chadarevian¹

¹Department of History, University of California Los Angeles, 6265 Bunche Hall, Box 951473, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1473, USA. chadarevian@history.ucla.edu

Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

|March 10, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microstudies offer valuable insights into the history of molecular biology, revealing connections between small events and larger structures. This approach enhances our understanding by integrating diverse fields beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

More Related Videos

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

Published on: January 7, 2019

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Area of Science:

Historiography of Science
Molecular Biology History

Background:

The study addresses the perceived conflict between microhistorical studies and macro-level historical accounts.
It examines how this debate manifests within the historiography of molecular biology.

Observation:

Microhistory, inspired by scholars like Ginzburg, Revel, and Sabean, demonstrates the power of detailed case studies.
These studies effectively reconstruct contexts linking minor occurrences to significant broader structures.

Findings:

The paper argues that microstudies are crucial for understanding the history of molecular biology.
It highlights their utility in connecting small-scale events to large-scale historical developments.

Implications:

Adopting a microstudy approach can bridge molecular biology history with other disciplines.
This method allows for broader perspectives, moving beyond narrow disciplinary confines without abandoning "big picture" analyses.