Self Report Methods

Question 1

What self reports

Answer 1

Self-report techniques - where participants provide information about themselves
E.g QUESTIONNAIRES (written). INTERVIEWS (oral)

Question 2

STRENGTHS self report

Answer 2

P’s description can provide rich qualitative data
Gather a LARGE amount of data
You can ask people HYPOTHETICALLY opinion instead of setting up experiment etc

Question 3

LIMITATIONS self reports

Answer 3

P’s may try to come across in most socially acceptable way - can lead to UNTRUTHFUL responses
P’s must have introspective ability

Question 4

Closed question

Answer 4

Certain amount of choices available
Scale, rank questions
Provide QUANTITATIVE data

Question 5

Open questions

Answer 5

Provide QUALITATIVE

No restrictions as to what the participants say

Question 6

STRENGTHS of questionnaires

Answer 6

Large amount of data can be accumulated - CHEAP QUICK
Data can be analysed 
Reliable
Social desirability 
Not many ethical issues

Question 7

Limitations of questionnaires

Answer 7

May not reflect the P’s opinion
Researcher bias - the researcher can decide which questions are important
Interpretivists argue the method is too detached
VALIDITY- social desirability - people may not be giving honest answers