Self-report techniques

Question 1

What is a ‘self report technique’

Answer 1

Any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviours and/or experiences related to a given topic

Question 2

What are the self report techniques?

Answer 2

Questionnaires and interviews

Question 3

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 3

A set of written questions used to assess a personals thoughts and/or experiences

Question 4

What are the two types of questions on a questionnaire?

Answer 4

Open and closed

Question 5

What is an open question?

Answer 5

An open question does not have fixed range of answers and respondents are free to answer in any way they wish

Question 6

What is a strength and a weakness of open questions?

Answer 6

STRENGTH
-Rich in detail, higher in validity
LIMITATION
-Limited in what you’re looking at, harder to statistically compare

Question 7

What is a closed question?

Answer 7

A question that offers a fixed number of responses

Question 8

What is a strength of closed questions?

Answer 8

Easy to statistically analyse

Question 9

What are the strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires?

Answer 9

STRENGTHS
-Can be completed without a researcher being present
-Cost-effective, gather large amounts of data quickly
-They can easily be made anonymous - meaning people give more honest and valid answers
-Replicable
LIMITATIONS
-Participants can complete the questionnaire too quickly and fail to read questions properly, meaning they don’t respond accurately
-People may not give truthful answers
-Social desirability may affect validity

Question 10

What is an interview?

Answer 10

A ‘live’ encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess the interviewees thoughts and/or experiences

Question 11

What are the types of interview?

Answer 11

Structured, unstructured and semi-structured

Question 12

What is a structured interview?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What is a unstructured interview?

Answer 13

There are no set questions, there is a general aim that a certain topic will be discussed. The interviewee is encouraged to expand and elaborate their answers as prompted by the interviewer.

Question 14

What is a semi-structured interview?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What are strengths and limitations of structured interviews?

Answer 15

STRENGTH

• Easy to replicate due to their standardised format
• Format reduces differences between interviewers

LIMITATIONS

• Not possible for interviewers to deviate from the topic or elaborate on their points
• Social desirability affects validity

Question 16

What are the strengths and limitations of unstructured interviews?

Answer 16

STRENGTH

• More flexibility in unstructured than structures, more likely to gain insight into the worldview of the interviewee
• Allows for a rapport (relationship) to be built with the interviewee which means responses may be more truthful/valid

LIMITATIONS

• Analysis of data is difficult, drawing conclusions may be difficult
• Social desirability means people may lie