Questions and interviews Flashcards
Self-report techniques
Non-experimental methods where participants respond about themselves, usually by answering questions about their behaviour, attitudes or feelings
2 types: questionnaires and interviews
Questionnaires
Self-report techniques that use a set of written questions to collect information from a wide number of participants
Participants usually respond independently (in writing or online), without interference from the experimenter
They can be used as part of an experiment to assess the DV
Interviews
Self-report technique where the researcher collects information by directly asking participants a set of questions
Participants usually respond face-to-face with the experimenter
2 types: structured and unstructured interviews
Structured interviews
Use a pre-determined set of questions, which are asked in order and without deviation
The researcher records participants responses manually (on paper) or electronically (using a recording device)
Unstructured interviews
Involve a flexible discussion of a particular topic, without a fixed set of questions or formal structure
Although they may start with pre-determined questions, the interviewer can explore interesting answers by asking follow-up questions, for clarification or exploration of new ideas
Due to their complexity, the researcher normally records participants responses electronically (using a recording device)
Semi-structured interviews
List of questions which are worked out in advance, but allows interviewers to ask follow-up questions when appropriate
Questions strength 1
Unlike interviews where the interviewer is present, a strength is that they create low evaluation apprehension
Which occurs when participants become concerned that their responses will be judged by the experimenter, lowering internal validity of research due to a change in natural behaviour
This is because questionnaires are completed independently and often anonymously by participants
Meaning they are likely to provide only honest answers
Questions strength 2
Unlike unstructured interviews, where questions are open ended and lead to qualitative answers, where they may be misinterpreted, a strength is that they generate low experimenter bias
Which occurs when the experimenter shows unintentional bias in recording data in an effort to to accept their experimental hypothesis
This is because questionnaires use written questions and responses
Meaning the experimenter cannot show any bias in presenting the questions or recording responses
Questionnaires limitation 1
Subject to high volunteer bias
Which occurs when participants volunteer to take part in research, lowering the internal validity as they may have a shared personality trait that acts as a confounding variable
This is because questionnaires are completed independently by participants
Meaning only those who want to take part are likely to hand them back
Questionnaires limitation 2
They have low population validity
Which is when the findings of research cannot be successfully generalised to the target population, lowering internal validity of research
This is because questionnaires tend to have very low response rates
Meaning it is difficult to apply their findings more widely
Interviews strength 1
Unlike questionnaires, where questions may be closed and lead to quantitive answers a strength is that they provide rich, qualitative data
Which is full of detail
This is because, particularly unstructured interviews can ask open ended questions to generate lengthy written or recorded descriptions
Which add complexity to the issue being discussed
Interviews limitation 1
Unlike questionnaires, where the researcher isn’t present, a limitation is that they generate high experimenter boas
Which occurs when the experimenter shows unintentional bias in recording data in an effort to accept their experimental hypothesis
This is because researchers ask questions directly to their participants
Meaning they may show unintentional bias in the words or tone they use to elicit a certain response
This is most likely in unstructured interviews
Interviews limitation 2
Unlike questionnaires, where the researcher isn’t present, a limitation is that they have high evaluation apprehension
Which occurs when participants become concerned that their responses will be judged by the experimenter, lowering internal validity of research because of a change in their natural behaviour
This is because interviews use face-to-face communication,
Meaning participants are more likely to feel nervous about their response
