self report techniques

Question 1

define a self-report technique

Answer 1

any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feeling, opinions, behaviors and/or experiences to a given topic

Question 2

give examples of self-report techniques

Answer 2

questionnaires and interviews

Question 3

define a questionnaire (2)

Answer 3

a set of written questions used to assess a person’s thoughts
and/or experiences. often used within an experiment to assess the DV (making it easier to analyse and compare)

Question 4

what are the 2 possible styles of questions ?

Answer 4

• open + closed questions

Question 5

define an open question

Answer 5

questions for which there is no fixed choice of response and repsonders can answer in any way they wish

Question 6

give an example of an open question

Answer 6

why did you take up smoking ?

Question 7

what type of data would an open question produce ?

Answer 7

qualitative data

Question 8

what is a strength and limitation about the type of data used for open question?

Answer 8

• rich in depth and detail
• but may be difficult to analyse

Question 9

define an closed question

Answer 9

offers a fixed number of responses

Question 10

give an example of an closed question

Answer 10

• do you smoke (yes/no) ?

Question 11

what type of data would an closed question produce ?

Answer 11

quantitative data

Question 12

what is a strength and limitation about the type of data used for closed question?

Answer 12

• easier to analyse
• but it may lack the depth and detail associated with OQ’s

Question 13

what are strengths of questionnaires ?

Answer 13

• cost-effective

Question 14

give an strength of questionnaires (people) (3)

Answer 14

• gather large amounts of data quickly –> as they can be distributed to large numbers of people –> number of people are important as it determines the volume of data collected

Question 15

what is a strength of questionnaires ? (effort) (2)

Answer 15

• can be completed without the researcher being present ( as in postal questionnaires) –> reduces the effort involved

Question 16

what is a strength of questionnaires ? (data) (4)

Answer 16

• data produced is usually straightforward to analyse
  –> case if q’s mainly fixed choice closed q’s
  –> data lends itself to statistical analysis and comparisons between groups of ppl can be made using graphs and charts

Question 17

what is a limitation of questionnaires ? (SDB + example) (4)

Answer 17

social desirability bias
–> respondents may be keen to present themselves in a positive light and this may influence their answers
–> responses given may not always be truthful
–> example: ‘ how often do you lose your form? ‘
–> most people would underestimate the frequency

Question 18

what is a limitation of questionnaires ? (AB)

Answer 18

• tendency to agree with items on a questionnaire regardless of the content of the question
  -example : ‘ always ticking ‘yes’ or answering at the same favored end of a rating scale ‘
• as respondents complete questionnaires too quickly and fail to read questions properly

Question 19

define an interview (2)

Answer 19

a ‘live’ encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewee’s thought and/or experiences. the questions may be pre-set or may develop as the interview goes along

Question 20

what are the two broad types of interview ?

Answer 20

structured and unstructured interviews

Question 21

define structured interviews

Answer 21

• made up of a pre-determined set of questions that are asked in a fixed order

Question 22

what is structured interviews similar to and how is different from it ?

Answer 22

• questionnaires but conducted face to face (over the phone ) in real time

Question 23

describe how structured interviews would work ?

Answer 23

• i.e. interviewer asks the questions and waits for response

Question 24

what is unstructured interviews similar to and how is different to SI ?

Answer 24

• a conversation and the are no set questions
• general aim that a certain topic will be discussed
  –> interaction tends to be free-flowing

Question 25

what is the interviewee encouraged to do in a unstructured interview ?

Answer 25

• expand and elaborate their answers as prompted by the interviewer

Question 26

what are is name of the interview that one is most likely to encounter in everyday life ?

Answer 26

• a job interview (semi-structured interview)

Question 27

define a semi structured interview

Answer 27

a lost of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow-up questions when they feel it is appropriate

Question 28

what is a strength of structured interviews ?

Answer 28

• straightforward to replicate due to the standardised format
  –> format also reduces differences between interviewers

Question 29

what is a limitation of structured interviews ?

Answer 29

• not possible for the interviewers to deviate from the topic or elaborate their points
  –> may be a source of frustration for some

Question 30

what is a strength of unstructured interviews ?

Answer 30

• interviewer can follow up points as they arise
  –> is much more likely to gain insight into the worldview of the interviewee

Question 31

what is there more of in unstructured interview compared to structured interview ?

Answer 31

flexibility

Question 32

what is a limitation of unstructured interviews ?

Answer 32

–> analysis of data is not straightforward
–> researcher may have to sift through much irrelevant information
–>drawing firm conclusions may be difficult

Question 33

what is a problem with unstructured interviews and it be resolved as.. ?

Answer 33

-risk that interviewees may lie for reasons of social desirability
–> a skilled and experienced interviewers should be able to establish sufficient rapport with the participant – even when sensitive and personal topics are discussed responses given are truthful