Instruments and measures Flashcards
1
Q
What is an instrument?
A
- used to measure individual characteristics (IVs) and responses to the stimuli (DVs)
2
Q
What is the difference between instruments and stimuli?
A
- stimuli: vehicle to deliver manipulation/treatment (IVs)
- instrument: measure other variables (DVs, CVs, IVs)
3
Q
What are the 3 types of instruments?
A
- questionnaire
- technological equipment
- observation
4
Q
What is a questionnaire?
A
- measures subjects’ self-reported characteristics and responses to manipulation
- variety of ways to administer: on paper, online, etc.
5
Q
What must questionnaires in an experiment capture?
A
- abstract concepts of dependent variables (DVs)
- covariates (CVs)
- intervening variables (mediators, moderators)
6
Q
What is an item in a questionnaire?
A
Specific question
7
Q
What is a single item questionnaire?
A
only one question used for very concrete concepts like race, age, gender, etc.
8
Q
What is an index questionnaire?
A
more complicated concepts measured with more than one question
eg. measures of attitudes, beliefs, emotions, judgements, norms, culture, etc.
9
Q
What are some measurement issues?
A
- ceiling and floor effects
- construct validity
10
Q
What are ceiling and floor effects?
A
- when answer options are not high (ceiling) or low (floor) enough, there is a bunching at the extremes
- can occur with Likert scales and categories
11
Q
What is a Likert scale?
A
- fixed-choice response format measuring agreement, frequency, importance and likelihood
- odd number of choices allow for neutral point
12
Q
What are some pros of questionnaire?
A
- self-reports give subjects “voice”
- self-reports are fast easy and cheap
- versatile, able to ask variety of questions and measure many attributes
13
Q
What are some disadvantages of questionnaires?
A
- social desirability bias
- reluctance to answer morally, ethically revealing topics
- some people struggle to know their own feelings
- misinterpretation of questions
