Chapter 6: Surveys and observations Flashcards
open-ended questions
+ allow respondent to answer in any way they like
+ provide research with spontaneous, rich information
- they must be coded and categorized, which can be a difficult/time-consuming process
forced-choice questions
people give their opinion by picking the best out of 2 or more options
- used to measure personality
likert-scale
a survey question format using a rating scale containing multiple response options anchored by the specific terms strongly agree, agree, neuther agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree
double-barreled questions
ask 2 questions in one
- have poor construct validity
response sets
a type of shortcut people can take when answering survey questions
- can weaken construct validity
acquiescence
when people say “yes” or “strongly agree” to every item instead of thinking carefully about each one
- weakens construct validity
fence-sitting
answering in the middle of the scale especially when survey items are controversial
- weakens construct validity
socially desirable responding (faking good)
giving answers on a self-report measure that makes one look better than one really is
observer bias
occurs when observers’ expectations influence their interpretations of the participants’ behaviors or the outcomes of the study
observer effects
changes in the behavior of study participants in the direction of observer expectations
masked design
observers are unaware of the purpose of the study and the conditions to which the participants have been assigned
reactivity
a change in behavior when study participants know that another person is watching
solutions for reactivity
- unobtrusive observations
- wait it out (letting participants get used to being observed)
- measure the behavior’s results rather than observing behavior directly
unobtrusive observations
researchers making themselves less noticeable to avoid observer effects
