Self report techniques Flashcards
Self-report techniques
Research method which requires ppts to report on themselves
Strengths of self-report? 2 marks
- Allows more detailed access to ppts thoughts and feelings.
- Allows investigation on what ppts might think, feel or do in the future.
Limitations of self-report? 2 marks
- Rely heavily on ppt honesty
- Ppts may feel they need to give socially desirable answers
Questionnaires
Self-report method where ppts are presented with a set of predetermined written questions
Strengths of questionnaires? 3 marks
- Cost and time effective that can be given to large numbers
- Provide honest data, improving reliability = private and anonymous
- Less risk of investigator influence on ppt behaviour
Limitations of questionnaires? 3 marks
- Response rates can be poor = difficult to generalize findings
- Only certain people return them
- Difficult to phrase questions which aren’t open to interpretation
Closed questions
Allows ppts to respond in certain kinds of ways = fixed number of responses
Strengths of closed questions? 4 marks
- Get a clear cut answer
- Control by requiring answers in a particular way
- Minimum effort
- Saves time
Limitations of closed questions? 4 marks
- Need to know range of answers to the Q
- Frustrate respondents
- Lack of engagement
- Longer questionnaires cause fatigue
Open questions
Allow respondents to answer freely without restriction
Strengths of open questions? 3 marks
- Flexibility to respondent
- Good when range of possible answers to put into closed questions aren’t known.
- Good way of accessing motivations and feelings
Limitations of open questions? 3 marks
- Provides qualitative data - can be difficult to analyse
- Time-consuming
- Answers may be difficult to interpret
