Key terms self report Flashcards
What is a questionnaire?
Written methods of gaining data, may be completed by a participant or may act as a set of questions that a researcher reads to the participant, do not require presence of the researcher, person completing it is known as a respondent.
Advantages of a questionnaire
Large amount of data, large samples, quick for ppts, confidential, lower social desirability bias
Disadvantages of a questionnaire
Response rate, may lie, standard response set, lack ecological validty
What is an interview?
Person being interviewed is known as an interviewee, they involve direct verbal questioning of the subject by a researcher
They can be structured by structured interviews, semi structured interviews and unstructured interviews
Advantages of an interview
Combination of quantitative data and qualitative data, reads body language, builds rapport
Disadvantages of an interview
Unreliable, lack ecological validity, time consuming as conducted one at a time, confidentiality, increased risk of social desirability bias
What is a closed question?
They give the answers to the participant and they have to choose the most appropriate answer for them, responses can be turned into quantitative data
What is an open question?
A participant responds to a set question but there is a blank underneath the question so participants can answer in whatever style they choose. Used to assess emotions or reasons as to why they do certain things. Qualitative data
Advantages of open questions
Lots of detail, expand on answers, produces qualitative data, see reasoning behind answers, increased ecological validity and ppts are given freedom
Advantages of closed questions
More direct, easily transferred to quantitative data (present in a graph), easy to compare results and its quick to complete
Disadvantages of open questions
Cannot be put into a graph, harder to analyse and compare, low retention rate and researcher bias. Irrelevant data
Disadvantage of closed questions
Doesn’t give detail, lacks expressing answers, participants may feel forced into an answer, doesn’t provide rich data, standard response set and lastly its open to interpretation.
What are rating scales?
Used to investigate peoples attitudes towards something, also relates to emotions and feelings
Advantages of rating scales
Easy to understand, quick and converted into quantitative data
Disadvantages of rating scales
Forced choice, might not allow options, set number of options and doesn’t explain the reasoning behind their decision and standard response set
What are likert scales?
Compromise a number of statements which participants indicate whether they strongly agree, agree, etc.
Advantages of likert scales
Controls a standard response set, range of options, quantitative data
Disadvantages of likert scales
Number of intervals to include (odd number 5 or 7)
Reduces the validity of the data collected
What are semantic differentials?
They make use of polar opposite terms
Participants have to indicate between a series of bipolar adjectives where they would place their feelings
What is a structured interview?
Interviewer asks the same questions to each ppt in the same order. Closed questions are often used, with the interviewee picking the answer closest to their own
Strengths of a structured interview
High internal reliability, same experience, analyse and compare results due to quantitative data
Weaknesses of a structured interview
Uses many closed questions, superficial, misses out useful information
Semi structured interview definition
Interviewer will have a set of pre prepared questions to ask and is expected to ask all of them; other questions will be developed during the interview in response to answers given by the interviewee
Strengths of semi structured interview
Trustworthy, high ecological validity, obtains qualitative data, adds additional questions
