self- report techniques Flashcards
questionnaires
self report technique
Pre-set list of questions (items) to record thoughts and feelings.
assess dependant v
open questionnaires
do not include a fixed range of answers, qualitative data, wide range difficult to analyse
closed questionnaire
respondents are directed to a fixed set of responses from which they have to choose.
quantitative data, easy to analyse but lacks depth.
strength questionnaires
cost-effective. gather large amounts of data quickly, distributed to large numbers of people.
can be completed w/out researcher present (postal q).
straightforward to analyze esp if closed, lends to statistical analysis, comparisons made.
limitations questionnaires
responsesnot always truthful, keen to present in +ve light, social desirability bias.
produce response bias, all say yes (acquescence bias). or favoured end of rating scale. done too quickly, not read enough.
interviews
Mostly face-to-face interaction though some may be conducted over the phone
structured interview
involves pre-set questions asked in a fixed order.
unstructured interview
has few or no pre-arranged questions. free-flowing, encouraged to expand.
semi-structured interview
Most common kind of ‘everyday’ interview: there are some pre-set questions but follow-ups are asked as the interview develops.
evaluation structured interviews
straightforward to replicate, standardised format, reduces differences.
not possible to deviate from topic, limit richness of data collected, limit unexpected information.
evaluation unstructured
more flexibility, follow-up points, gain insight into worldview of interviewee, elicit unexpected info.
risk of interviewer bias, not straightforward analysis, sift through more info, conclusions difficult.
social desirability bias, skilled so no.
