Self-Report Techniques Flashcards
What is a questionnaire?
Questionnaires are made up of a preset list of written questions to which a participant responds.
They can be used as part of an experiment to assess the DV.
What are the strengths of questionnaires?
+ Can be distributed to lots of people.
Large amounts of data quickly
Cost effective and reduces effort involved
+Straightforward to analyse
Especially when using closed questions
So data can be converted to graphs/charts for comparasion.
What are the limitations of questionnaires?
- Social desirability bias
Participants arent always truthful and may present themselves in a posotive light. - Response bias
Respondants may favour a particular kind of response
Meaning they all tend to reply in a similar way.
What are interviews?
Face to face interactions between an interviewer and interviewee.
What are the 2 types of interview?
Structured and Unstructured
What is a structured interview?
A list of predetermined questions asked in a fixed order.
What is a strength and a weakness of a structured interview?
+ Easy to replicate
Use a standardised format
Reduces individual differences in response
- Closed questions mean limited data
Interviewee cannot explain their answer, so cannot gather rich qualititative data.
What is an unstructured interview?
There is no set questions , there is a general topic of discussion but the interaction is free flowing and the interviewee is encouraged to elaborate.
What is a strength and a weakness of unstructred interviews?
+ Greater insight
Unlike a structured interview points can be elaborated and so there is morelikley gain on insight into interviewees worldview and collect rich data.
- Interviewer bias
As the conversation is more open, there is a higher risk of unconcious cues from the interviewer.
What is a semi structured interview?
List of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers ask further questions based on previous answers.
How do you design a good question?
JARGON
DOUBLE BARRELL
LEADING QUESTION
Avoid jargon
Avoid double barrelled questions - Do you agree that footballers are overpaid and should give money to charity?
Avoid leading questions - Do you agree boxing is dangerous?
What are closed question?
The respondent has limited choices
Data tends to be quantative
Strength and weakness of closed questions?
+ Easy to analyse
Produce graphs for comparasions
Easier to draw conclusions
- Responses are restricted
Forced into an answer which may not represent true feelings
Reducing validity of the findings
What are open questions?
Answers which are elaborated, expressive.
Qualatitative data
Strength and weakness of open questions?
+ Responses are not restricted
Answers produce more detailed answers
More external validity than statistics
- Difficult to analyse
Wide variety of answers, so all subjective
May be forced to reduce the data into statistics
How do you design an interview?
- Interview schedule - list of questions
- Quiet room - Interviewee open up more
- Rapport - Neutral questions to make interviewee feel relaxed
- Ethics - remind interviewee that answers will be treated in confidence
