self report techniques Flashcards
what are questionnaires
written questions used to access a person’s though/experiences
what are open questions (2)
questions phrased so people can answer freely
collects qualitative data
eg. ‘What do you think about…’
2 strengths of open questions
-have lots of detail
-good for sensitive topics- people can elaborate
criticism of open questions
hard to convert into stats, so it is hard to analyse and compare with other data
what are closed questions
questions that restrict you to a fixed number of responses
collects quantitative data
strength of closed questions
easy to analyse and compare with other data
2 criticisms of closed questions
-limiting- can be frustrating for people
-lacks detail
3 strengths of questionnaires
-gathers lots of data quickly
-researcher doesnt need to be present
-responses are usually anonymous so participants are more honest
3 criticisms of questionnaires
-hard to know if the target population answered it eg. if it was online
-social desirability bias- reduces validity
-response bias- acquiescence bias where participants agree with everything- reduces validity
how to construct questionnaires (3)
-needs clarity for higher quality responses
-avoid jargon, emotive language, double negatives and leading questions- can cause biases
-use filler questions- distracts participants from real aim of study- eliminates demand characteristics
what is a structured interview
set of predetermined questions being asked during an interview
2 strengths of structured interviews
-easily replicable due to standardised format
-can compare participants
2 criticisms of structured interviews
-responses cant be followed up with more questions- lacks detail
-social desirability bias
what are interviews
live encounter where questions are asked to assess thoughts+experiences
what are unstructured interviews (2)
no predetermined questions- questions develop as interview goes on
can be tailored to individuals
3 strengths of unstructured interviews
-lots of data collected with more detail
-can be tailored to individuals- provides more insight
-questions can be clarified if p’s dont understand
3 criticisms of unstructured interviews
-skilled interviewers needed
-interviewer bias
-hard to compare participants
how to construct interviews (4)
-record info (write it down, use a camera/recorded)
-ethical issues- informed consent is needed for interviewer to keep data
-location- should use a quiet room so participants can open up
-neutral questions
