Self Report Methods

Question 1

Self Report Measures

Answer 1

“Verbal reports” that include informant responses

Question 2

Questionnaires

Answer 2

Responding to a structured series of written questions

Question 3

Interviews

Answer 3

Responding verbally to questions asked by an interviewer

Question 4

Open-ended questions

Answer 4

Usually in an interview; answer not constrained, informant can answer whatever they would like.

Question 5

Closed-ended questions

Answer 5

Usually in an questionnaire. Had constrained answers usually, e.g. how anxious are you right now on a scale of 1-10?

Question 6

Potential problems in item wording: Neutrality

Answer 6

Leading questions; it seems obvious she was angry, don’t you think?”

Implicit Premises: “How long have you been shoplifting?”

Jargon, complex, language.

Specificity: do you binge drink? do you have poor eating habits? what constitutes as either of these?

Question 7

Dichotomous scale

Answer 7

Yes/No scale

Question 8

Likert scale

Answer 8

Strongly disagree - strongly agree

Question 9

Unipolar Scale

Answer 9

No Pain at all - unbearable pain

Two polar ends of a certain phenomenon

Question 10

Bipolar scale

Answer 10

Tired - energetic

“Opposite ends of the spectrum)

Question 11

Visual Analogue Scale

Answer 11

Not at all stressed ______________ Extreme Stress (mark on a line)

Question 12

How many scale points should there be on a response scale?

Answer 12

More is better, however, too many makes it difficult for participants (4-9 is common)

Question 13

Anchoring

Answer 13

There needs to be an equal distance between scale points. BAD ANCHORING:
1= never, 2= a little bit; 3= almost always, 4= everyday

Question 14

Advantages of Questionnaires

Answer 14

Standardised (the wording is exactly the same each time).

Respondents can fill them out privately, in their own time. They can ensure confidentiality. Cheap and quick to administer

Question 15

Disadvantages of Questionnaires

Answer 15

Limited in scope (may not be asking all of the questions you need to ask)

Self-report biases such as social desirability and acquiscence

Question 16

Semi-structured interviews

Answer 16

Varying degrees of structure.

*Key features: interactive, responsive, flexible. Audio or visual recording

Question 17

Protocol of a semistructured interview

Answer 17

Conceptual or chronological framework of topics/questions.
Prompts/probes
Use as a memory aide

Question 18

Prompts to give when conducting an interview

Answer 18

• Encourage elaboration
• Return to earlier points
• Give permission
• Encourage reticent respondents
• Communicate understanding

Question 19

Nonverbal language in an interview

Answer 19

• Nonverbal Mimicry
• Nonverbally communicate understanding by nodding, or expressing appropriate emotions
• Eye contact.

Question 20

Advantages of interviews

Answer 20

Rapport and flexibility enable the interviewer to ask follow up questions, ensure respondent answers all questions, give more complicated instructions, vary the order of questions. Allow respondents to ask their own questions.

Question 21

Disadvantages of interviews

Answer 21

• Information overload (hard to analyze).
• Very time-consuming and often expensive
• Requires highly trained interviews
• Open-ended responses are often vague, unclear, or contradictory

Question 22

Quantitative Observational Methods

Answer 22

Involves the systematic counting or timing of behaviours. Usually requires multiple highly trained observers

Question 23

Advantages of observation

Answer 23

Direct, objective measure of behaviour can let researchers see the phenomenon of interest as it happens.

Question 24

Disadvantages of observation

Answer 24

Potential reactivity (people behave differently when they know they’re being observed). You can also not directly observe measures such as motivation.

Question 25

Steps in observation

Answer 25

1) Operationally define behaviours
2) Develop coding manual
3) Recruit and train raters
4) Check inter-rater reliability
5) Code actual data
6) Continuously monitor reliability

Question 26

Narrative recording

Answer 26

Qualitative record using written words. Describe the nature of a client’s phonic tics.

Question 27

Event recording

Answer 27

Overall frequency data. “How many times did the client exhibit a phonic tic over a 30 minute interview?”

Question 28

Interval recording

Answer 28

Frequency within intervals (Stop and get a total # of behaviors every 5 minutes)

Question 29

Time sampling

Answer 29

Record at specific times (participant carries an EAR recorder all day, which records for 30 seconds every hour)

Question 30

Sequential act coding

Answer 30

Code behaviours in chronological order, uncover all possible events, the code the order of events

Question 31

Duration recording

Answer 31

Record how long overall behaviour took

Question 32

Global rating scales

Answer 32

Overall judgment, usually by the trained clinician (the clinician rates how serious the clients’ impairment is from 0-100)

Question 33

Unobtrusive measures

Answer 33

Features of a physical environment used to acquire data (wear and tear on edges of seat in heart attack clinic)