Methods Flashcards
strengths of self-report methods
+ offer insight into why people behave the way they do
weaknesses of self-report methods
- possible risk from social desirability bias
- people may not be able to recall accurately- esp over extended period of time
strengths of interviews
+ can permit issues to be investigated with sensitivity
+ Ps can ask researcher for clarification of question if unsure of its meaning
weaknesses of interviews
- more time consuming
- appearance of researcher may have effect on Ps response
strengths of structured interviews
+ easy replication of research as standardised questions have been used
+ easier to analyse because answers are more predictable
weaknesses of structured interviews
- doesn’t allow for spontaneous questions- interviewer is less responsive to Ps
- interviewer’s expectations may influence answers
strengths of semi-structured interviews
+ more detailed information can be obtained from each respondent
+ allows researcher to investigate topics which may vary amongst Ps with more sensitivity
weaknesses of semi-structured interviews
- require interviewers with more skill- have to develop questions on the spot
- questions developed on the spot may lack objectivity because of instantaneous nature
strengths of questionnaires
+ can be used to assess psychological variables that may not be obvious by just observing someone
+ data can be collected from large group of Ps more quickly
weaknesses of questionnaires
- no guarantee Ps are telling the truth
- different Ps may interpret same question in different ways
correlation studies
establish whether two factors are associated
strengths of correlation studies
+ a research tool that can be used when experiments are inappropriate e.g: unethical to manipulate stress and illness
+ provides valuable information on strength of the relationship between the co-variables
weaknesses of correlation studies
- impossible to establish cause and effect between variables
- cannot assess non-linear relationships between co-variables
case studies
in-depth exploration of behaviour and experiences of an individual
strengths of case studies
+ can collect data from individuals who have experienced situations which would be unethical to manipulate
+ can be a good way to describe changes occurring as a result of psychological processes which occur over time
weaknesses of case studies
- unique experiences of one person may have little/no application to the lives of others
- researcher’s assessment may become less objective with familiarity
quantitative data
data that can be measured numerically by psychologist so that statistical analysis can be completed
strengths of quantitative data
+ data is easy to analyse using statistics
+ easier to collect from a large group of Ps
weaknesses of quantitative data
- tends to lose the ‘human’ level of behaviour
- tends to offer a very shallow view of behaviour
qualitative data
data that can be observed but not measured numerically
strengths of qualitative data
+ can offer more individualised, ‘ human’ view of behaviour
+ provides in-depth, detailed data
weaknesses of qualitative data
- can be difficult to analyse collected data
- data tends to come from a limited range of people
strengths of primary sources
+ researcher can control the format of how the data is collected- specifically relate to aims of research
weaknesses of primary sources
- data collected may lack validity- social desirability + demand characteristics
