self report techniques Flashcards
(18 cards)
what are questionnaires
written questions used to access a person’s though/experiences
what are open questions (2)
questions phrased so people can answer freely
collects qualitative data
eg. ‘What do you think about…’
2 strengths of open questions
-have lots of detail
-allows researchers to pursue a line of enquiry that comes into light due to a p’s response
criticism of open questions
hard to convert into stats, so it is hard to analyse and compare with other data
what are closed questions
questions that restrict you to a fixed number of responses
collects quantitative data
2 strengths of closed questions
-easy to analyse and compare with other data as there are fixed responses
-can collate and display info collected easily
2 criticisms of closed questions
-limiting- can be frustrating for people
-lacks detail
3 strengths of questionnaires
-gathers lots of data quickly
-researcher doesnt need to be present
-responses are usually anonymous so participants are more honest
3 criticisms of questionnaires
-hard to know if the target population answered it eg. if it was online
-social desirability bias- reduces validity
-response bias- acquiescence bias where participants agree with everything- reduces validity
how to construct questionnaires (3)
-needs clarity for higher quality responses
-avoid jargon, emotive language, double negatives and leading questions- can cause biases
-use filler questions- distracts participants from real aim of study- eliminates demand characteristics
what is a structured interview
set of predetermined questions being asked during an interview
2 strengths of structured interviews
-easily replicable due to standardised format
-can compare participants
2 criticisms of structured interviews
-responses cant be followed up with more questions- lacks detail
-social desirability bias
what are interviews
live encounter where questions are asked to assess thoughts+experiences
what are unstructured interviews (2)
no predetermined questions- questions develop as interview goes on
can be tailored to individuals
3 strengths of unstructured interviews
-lots of data collected with more detail
-can be tailored to individuals- provides more insight
-questions can be clarified if p’s dont understand
3 criticisms of unstructured interviews
-skilled interviewers needed
-interviewer bias
-hard to compare participants
how to construct interviews (4)
-record info (write it down, use a camera/recorded)
-ethical issues- informed consent is needed for interviewer to keep data
-location- should use a quiet room so participants can open up
-neutral questions
