2: Self Report Measures

Question 1

Self-report

Answer 1

Data collection techniques measure variables by directly asking participants to respond to questions

• used in all types of designs both lab and field
• important to ensure confidentiality and anonymity

Question 2

Questionnaire

Answer 2

Organized collection of self report items administered to respondents

Question 3

Open-ended questions

Answer 3

Answer in own words

• may provide a lot of rich qualitative info
• drawback: may not understand what you are asking, difficult and time-consuming to code and categorize diverse responses
• raw, rich descriptive info, coded into categories and quantified by raters

Question 4

Forced choice

Answer 4

Respondents choose from a list of alternatives. Can be ordered or unordered

• gives control over participants responses
• easy to summarize and analyze
• usually nominal or ordinal scales
• discrete numbers allow for calculating differences and means

Question 5

Partially forced choice

Answer 5

An other alternative is added with a prompt allowing the respondent to specify an alternative

• less restrictive in case the provided alternatives are not exhaustive
• difficulty coding other responses.

Question 6

Rating scale

Answer 6

Respondents choose a number on a scale or place a mark on a line that best reflects their response

• using quantitative scale usually anchored by antonyms
• number of points and how scale is labeled may affect nature of responses obtained
• semantic differential format
• usually treated as interval scale with psychological units so it is possible to calculate differences and means.

Question 7

Likert scale

Answer 7

Where respondents indicate degree of agreement with a statement on a five point scale

• likert type scales: add slightly disagree and slightly agree to create 7-point scale
• can assess attitudes and behavior

Question 8

Assembling questionnaire

Answer 8

• coherent, visually pleasing
• use interesting question as first item avoid presenting demographic items first
• keep related items together
• earlier items influence way respondents interpret and respond to later items “earlier prime”
• place sensitive after less sensitive items
• make diff versions

Question 9

Calculating composite score

Answer 9

By adding or averaging the responses to rating scale items measuring same construct
Adjust for reverse scored: if given a 5 it’s actually a 1

Question 10

Common problems with wording

Answer 10

Leading question
Double-barreled question
Negatively worded

Question 11

Responses sets

Answer 11

Using shortcuts 
-acquiescence: yea-saying or nay-saying 
Solution: include reverse-scored items 
-fence-sitting: 
Solution: remove the neutral option on rating scale or use forced-choice

Question 12

Socially desirable responding

Answer 12

Faking good or faking bad

Solution: include special items to catch socially desirable responders

Question 13

Inaccurate reporting

Answer 13

Often incapable of accurately reporting feelings, thoughts and behavior(unconscious influences)

Forgetting and memory retrieval: self-report of memories may be distorted. Confidence ratings may be inaccurate