Self Report Methods

Question 1

What are self-reports?

Answer 1

Self-reports get info direct from the PPs about their behaviour or thoughts.

Question 2

What are the 2 types of self-reports?

Answer 2

• Interviews

- Questionnaires

Question 3

What are interviews?

Answer 3

Usually face-to-face conversations (although they can take place over the phone/social media)

Question 4

What are unstructured interviews?

Answer 4

• Can be seen as informal chats - the interviewee can elaborate on a question asked.
• Produce natural responses (they’re valid)
• No 2 will be the same (not reliable)

Question 5

What are structured interviews?

Answer 5

• Interviews that have pre-determined questions.
• Always have same questions in the same order (reliable)
• Unnatural (low in validity)

Question 6

What are semi-structured interviews?

Answer 6

• Contain pre-determined questions but also feature informal chat.
• Aim is to be both somewhat valid and reliable.
• Interviewer MUST be well-trained or quite experienced.

Question 7

What are Questionnaires?

Answer 7

Involve reading the questions, followed by a written response.

Question 8

True or False - Questionnaires are always structured.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What are open questions?

Answer 9

• Questions that allow the respondent to answer in anyway they like
• Respondent doesn’t feel restricted with how they answer (adv)
• Can be difficult to compare the qual data received (disadv)

Question 10

What are closed questions?

Answer 10

• Only allow an answer from a list of responses.
• Easy to compare and contrast answers (adv)
• However, respondent may want to give an answer that isn’t among the options provided (disadv)

Question 11

What are multiple choice questions?

Answer 11

Questions that include a list of possible answers as a response - respondent ticks a box.

Question 12

What is a ranked scale question?

Answer 12

Where a respondent ranks their opinion on a set scale, e.g., from 1-10.
- Produces interval/ratio level data

Question 13

What is a likert scale?

Answer 13

• A likert scale offers a statement (NOT A QUESTION) and the respondent will indicate how strongly they agree or disagree.

Question 14

What is a semantic differential scale?

Answer 14

• Invites respondents to indicate where their attitude falls between 2 extremes.
• Middle option scores “0” and putting a response to the left or right scores -1,-2,+1,+2 etc.

Question 15

Applications of self-reports in psych

Answer 15

• Questionnaires are more common in most branches of psych.
• Socially sensitive research may need an interview as a questionnaire can be cold and disrespectful.
• Psychologists often use psychometric tests to measure psychological characteristics - e.g., IQ Test.

Question 16

Adv of self-reports

Answer 16

• Allows respondents to describe their own experiences.
• Often able to study large samples fairly quickly and easily.
• Able to examine a large number of variables.
• Pilot studies can test the effectiveness of questions on a smaller sample.

Question 17

Disadv of self-reports

Answer 17

• Respondents may not respond truthfully
• Response rates can be very low if sent out on a mass scale.
• Do not know if respondent has understood the question
• Questions are often leading.