self report techniques/design Flashcards
what are self report techniques
any method where someone is asked to state/explain their own feelings, opinions & behaviours (etc.) on a given topic
2 types of self report techniques
- questionnare
- interview
describe questionnares
- preset list of questions
- used to asses thoughts/feelings
- can be used to measure DV in experiment
- different types of questions: open & closed
whats an open question in a questionnaire
- no fixed range of answers
- responses include greater detail
- conclusions drawn may be open to bias (analysed differently by different interviewers)
- difficult to collate (1 big conclusion) & summarise data
- mostly produce qualitative data
whats a closed question in a questionnare
- number of fixed responses
- often involves ticking/circling an answer
- responses easier to compare
- respondents cannot explain answers
describe interviews
- most involve face-to-face interaction
- 2 broad types: structured & unstructured
whats a structured interview
pre-determined set of questions that are fixed in set order
whats an unstructured interview
works like a conversation as no set questions
whats a semi-structured interview
(falls between structured & unstructured)
some set questions but interviewers can ask follow up questions
strengths of questionnares
- cost effective
E: gather large amounts of data quickly as distributed to large numbers of people and can be completed without researcher present - easy & quick to analyse
weaknesses of questionnares
- responses may not be truthful (social desirability bias)
E: responders keen to present selves in positive light which may influence answer —> social desirability bias is type of demand characteristic - issue of response bias (participants answer in similar way throughout) —> aka aquiescence bias
explain social desirability bias
changing your answer to what you think everyone wants to hear
aquiescence bias
tendency to agree with items on a questionnare regardless of the content of the question
strengths of structured interviews
- easy to replicate
E: due to standardised format - format also reduces differences between interviewers»_space; - ^reduces interviewer bias
weakness of structured interviews
- lack of detail
E: due to nature of interview, interviewers cannot deviate from topic or explain questions which limits richness of data collected as well as limit unexpected information
strengths of unstructured interviews
- more flexibility
E: follow up points as they arise & more likely to gain insight into worldview of interviewee - more insight
- gain rapport
define rapport
relationship - becoming more open & honest
weaknesses of unstructured interviews
- difficulty to analyse
E: researcher may have to sift through much irrelevant information & drawing firm conclusions is difficult - social desirability bias
3 types of designing questionnares
- likert scale
- rating scales
- fixed choice option
define likert scaling
- generates quantitative data by assessing strength of opinion
- asked to rate feelings on particular topic using scale
- answers graded 1-5 to facilitate statistical analysis
define rating scales
- respondents identify a value that represents their strength of feeling about particular topic
define fixed choice option
- includes list of possible options
- respondents indicate those that apply to them
key factors in designing interviews
- involve interview schedule
^^should be standardised for each participant to reduce interviewer bias - interviewer take notes/recorderd & analysed later
- interviewer & single participant (can do group ones - esp. in clinical settings)
- quiet room away from others
- may start with neutral questions (interviewee becomes more relaxed/comfortable - establishes rapport)
- remind participants that answers are confidential
what’s an interview schedule
list of questions that an interviewer needs to cover
key factors in writing a good question
- clarity
- avoid using jargon
- avoid leading questions (guides respondent to particular answer)
- avoid double-barrelled questions (respondent may agree with only one half of question)
- avoid double negatives
what’s jargon
special expressions only familiar to those in specialised field/area
