4. Self-Report Techniques

Question 1

Self-report techniques involve…

Answer 1

• Questionnaires
• Interviews

Question 2

Different forms of questionnaires

Answer 2

Questionnaires can be written, face-to-face, on the phone, or via the internet.

Question 3

STRENGTHS of Questionnaires

Answer 3

1. Practical - able to collect a large amount of info quickly & relatively cheaply.

Question 4

WEAKNESSES of Questionnaires

Answer 4

1. Bad questions - leading questions (q’s that suggest answers) or unclear questions can be a problem.
2. Biased samples - some ppl are more likely to respond, making a sample unrepresentative.
3. Self-report - ppl often wish to present themselves in a good light (social desirability bias). What they say & what they ACTUALLY think may be different, making results unreliable.
4. Ethical issues - confidentiality may be a problem, esp around sensitive issues.

Question 5

2 types of interviews

Answer 5

• Structured interviews
• Unstructured interviews

Question 6

What is a Structured interview

Answer 6

Follow a fixed set of questions that are the same for all participants.

Question 7

What is an Unstructured interview

Answer 7

May have discussion topics, but are less constrained abt how the conversation goes.

Question 8

STRENGTHS of interviews

Answer 8

1. Rich data - able to obtain detailed info, as there are fewer constraints than w a questionnaire. (Unstructured provide richer info than structured).
2. Pilot study - interviews are a useful way to get into before a study.

Question 9

WEAKNESSES of interviews

Answer 9

1. Self-report - results may be unreliable & affected by social desirability bias.
2. Impractical - conducting interviews can be time-consuming & requires skilled researchers.
3. Data analysis - analysing data can be hard, particularly for unstructured interviews, bc there could be a huge amount of qualitative data.
4. Ethical issues - confidentiality may be a problem, esp around sensitive issues.