Chapter 5 - Survey Design

Question 1

code

Answer 1

A scheme for converting responses into numerical values. Researchers might write something such as ‘Sex was coded 1 = male, 2 = female’. All this means is that, when describing the results, numbers are used rather than words. This is a useful thing to do for the purpose of analysing data.

Question 2

questionnaire

Answer 2

A set of questions to be answered by a research question. These questions could be printed and given to the participant, completed by participants online, or asked by the researcher in an interview.

Question 3

representative random sample

Answer 3

A random sample of the population that has the same characteristics as the population.

Question 4

split-ballot technique survey

Answer 4

A survey research procedure whereby experimental manipulations are included. The most obvious form involves randomly selected participants receiving different questionnaires. In effect, split-ballot techniques are not surveys, but experiments.

Question 5

convenience sampling

Answer 5

A sampling procedure where a sample is chosen from the people who are available to participate in research. Often just about any person who can understand the instructions and complete the task is acceptable. This is the technique used in many psychological experiments (in particular, those involving undergraduate students).

Question 6

non-probability sampling

Answer 6

A sampling technique where there is not a specifiable probability of a member of the population being sampled.

Question 7

non-response

Answer 7

The failure to obtain responses in circumstances where a person is selected from the population, but does not actually participate in the survey.

Question 8

probability sampling

Answer 8

A sampling technique where there is a specifiable probability of each member of the population being sampled.

Question 9

purposive sampling

Answer 9

Selecting those members of a population who have a definable characteristic. For example, a study of depression might sample only those members of a population who are clinically depressed.

Question 10

sample size

Answer 10

The number of participants in a study. This is represented by the symbol N.

Question 11

sampling frame

Answer 11

A listing of all members of the population of interest.

Question 12

simple random sample

Answer 12

A random sample in which every member of the population has the same probability of being included.

Question 13

survey instrument

Answer 13

A means of collecting data from the sample. This could be a questionnaire form, a web page, or an interview.

Question 14

systematic sampling

Answer 14

Sampling where participants are selected according to a specific plan or method (either probability or non-probability sampling).

Question 15

archival records

Answer 15

Written or other records that are stored and are available for study. Sometimes these are stored in institutions called archives, but any record that is not in current use is also called an archive.

Question 16

cohort

Answer 16

A group of participants who take part in a particular piece of research at the same time.

Question 17

computer-aided interviewing

Answer 17

A research procedure where the researcher is prompted by a computer to ask questions over the telephone in a particular order. The order of questions is set by the chief researchers. Many surveys are now administered entirely by computer using dedicated web pages.

Question 18

critical psychologists

Answer 18

Psychologists who are critical of the convention methods and approaches of mainstream psychology. For this reason, they tend to use alternative methods.

Question 19

cross-sectional studies

Answer 19

Studies that sample a cross-section of the population at a particular time. In developmental psychology, the sample normally comprises a number of different age groups (cohorts).

Question 20

developmental surveys

Answer 20

Surveys conducted into the effects of ageing and maturation. Such surveys may be conducted by developing psychologists or others interested in changes in psychological processes and behaviour over time.

Question 21

interview

Answer 21

A series of questions asked by a researcher and answered by a research participant.

Question 22

longitudinal studies

Answer 22

Studies where the same sample of participants is measured on more than one occasion.

Question 23

naturalistic observational studies

Answer 23

Non-experimental studies in which the researcher observes behaviour and makes no attempt to interfere with the participants.

Question 24

non-obtrusive observational studies

Answer 24

Observational studies in which data are obtained without the participants being aware that they are participating in research.

Question 25

non-reactive techniques

Answer 25

Research procedures that use non-obtrusive measures to reduce the reactivity of participants’ behaviour.

Question 26

observational studies

Answer 26

Studies in which data are collected by directly observing behaviour.

Question 27

qualitative research methods

Answer 27

Procedures for studying psychological and behavioural phenomena that do not involve their quantification.

Question 28

social desirability

Answer 28

The extent to which people’s behaviour appears acceptable to other people. If behaviour is affected by people trying to behave in ways that they perceive to be desirable to the researcher, then this threatens both the internal and external validity of research.

Question 29

successive cross-sectional studies

Answer 29

Studies that take repeated samples from a cross-section of the population at different times. These combine the features of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

Question 30

double-barreled questions

Answer 30

Questionnaire items that ask two (or more) questions at the same time (e.g., ‘Do you believe in climate change and does this upset you?’),

Question 31

forced-choice responses

Answer 31

Questionnaire items where a respondent has to select one response from two or more options.

Question 32

response scale

Answer 32

An ordered sequence of responses to a particular questionnaire item. These responses can be numbered in the questionnaire or numbers can be attached to them prior to quantitative analysis.

Question 33

reverse scoring

Answer 33

The practice of having some of the items that measure a particular construct worded so that a higher score is associated with a lower level of construct. For example, on a scale designed to measure happiness, if a question asked, ‘Are you sad?’, higher agreement would indicate less happiness. So, before calculating an overall score for the construct, scores on these particular items are transposed so that on all measures a higher score is associated with a higher level of the construct. This is done by (a) subtracting the participants’ responses from the scale mid-point and (b) adding the resulting score, including the + or - sign, to the scale mid-point to provide a new score.

Question 34

pilot study

Answer 34

A preliminary piece of research designed to ‘road-test’ various design elements (e.g., independent variables, dependent variables, details of procedure), in order to establish their viability and utility prior to the investment of time and money in a full study.