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A cohort refers to a group of subjects from a given subgroup defined by a particular characteristic i.e., same year of birth (birth cohort), same gender or same culture [1]. Researchers are often interested in cohort effects as they can have a major influence on research outcomes. Cohort effects refer to the influence of factors other than age.
For example, children born 1986 in the areas surrounding Chernobyle 1986, (in the Ukraine, then a member state of the Soviet Union) who were exposed to the radioactive material that was released when its nuclear reactor failed may be considered to be a cohort. This group would be defined by exposure to radioactive material early in life and could have particular health problems which are not related to their age.
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References
Rybash, J. M., Roodin, P. A., & Hoyer, W. J. (1995). Adult development and aging (3rd ed.). London: Brown and Benchmark.
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McKinlay, A. (2011). Cohort. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_616
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_616
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
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