Self Report Techniques

Question 1

Advantages of a questionnaires

Answer 1

Can be distributed to lots of people
Easily replicable
Close fixed choice questions are straightforward to statistically analyse

Question 2

Disadvantages of questionnaires

Answer 2

Socially desirability bias
Anonymity can cause difficulty in know if pps told the truth
No oppourtunity to clarify questions or ask further questions

Question 3

What are open questions

Answer 3

Respondent provides own answers expressed in words
Eg how are you finding psychology

Question 4

What are closed questions

Answer 4

Respondent has limited choice or numerical answer
Eg how may hours do you spend on psychology homework

Question 5

Analysis of open questions

Answer 5

+ responses are not restricted
- difficult to analyse

Question 6

Analysis of closed questions

Answer 6

+ easier to analyse
- responses are restricted

Question 7

How to write good questions

Answer 7

Avoid jargon
Avoid leading questions
Use appropriate language
Use filler questions

Question 8

Analysis of interviews

Answer 8

+ better awareness of truthfulness of interviewee
+ can clarify questions
- risk of interviewer bias
- pps may be less likely to be honest face to face

Question 9

What is a structure interview

Answer 9

A list of pre determined questions asked in a fixed order

Question 10

What is an unstructured interview

Answer 10

No set questions general topic to discuss but interaction is free flowing and encouraged to elaborate

Question 11

What is semi structured interview

Answer 11

A list of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers ask further questions based on previous answers

Question 12

What should you consider during an interview

Answer 12

Quiet room- avoid distractions
Rapport- do not deceive orrr stress, answers must remain confidential consent obtained and not sensitive questions
Social desirability
Interviewer effect

Question 13

What is social desirability

Answer 13

Giving socially favourable answers due to presence of the interviewer

Question 14

What is interviewer effect

Answer 14

The effect of the interviewers presence has on answers causing bias

Question 15

3 guiding principles when constructing questionnaires

Answer 15

Clarity- the reader must understand what is being asked
Bias- leading questions and social desirability can lead to bias
Analysis- questions need to be written so answers are easy to analyse

(Also: filler questions, sequence of questions, sampling technique, pilot stud)

Question 16

How to carry out an interview

Answer 16

Recording interview- writing notes but any intervene with listening skills and make pps feel evaluated
Interviewer effect
Questioning skills

Question 17

What is a case study

Answer 17

A detailed in depth analysis of an individual or group of
Tend to give longitudinal studies gathering large amounts of data from many sources
Idiographic method of researching behaviour

Question 18

Strengths of case study

Answer 18

Rich in detail
Longitudinal so can see changes over time
Often used to support/challenge larger scale research

Question 19

Limitations of case study

Answer 19

Can be prone to researchers bias
Very little population validity as can’t generalise to others

Question 20

What is correlation

Answer 20

A method of data analysis used to find an association between 2 co variables

Question 21

Draw the types of correlation

Answer 21

Perfect positive correlation
Strong positive correlation
Weak positive correlation
Zero correlation
A strong negative correlation
A weak negative correlation

Question 22

What is a correlation coefficient

Answer 22

A number (between -1 and 1) which informs us of the strength and direction of the relationship betweeen 2 cco variables

Question 23

What is the difference between correlation and experiment

Answer 23

Correlation only assesses relationships between 2 co variables
Experiment is looking for a significant difference

Question 24

Analysis of correlation analysis

Answer 24

+useful starting point for research
+ relatively economical
- no cause and effect can be established
-Interviewing variables may explain the relationship seen lead to false conclusions

Question 25

What is alternative hypothesis

Answer 25

No iv or DV Still has to state expected relationship between co variables and operationalise them Must be either directional or non

Question 26

What is content analysis

Answer 26

Studying people’s characteristics indirectly through the communication they have produced Produces quantitive data from qualitative

Question 27

Steps involved in content analysis

Answer 27

1. State the ams and hypotheses for study 2. Decide on sample 3. View the qualititive data and identify categories ‘ 4. Analyse data

Question 28

What is thematic analysis

Answer 28

Any emerging themes that are recurrent in the communication are studied more in depth

Question 29

Analysis of content analysis

Answer 29

+ detailed in depth analysis + compare easily + present results graphically - subjective nature creating own categories- investigator bias - time consuming

Question 30

What are the types of categories in content analysis

Answer 30

Pre existing Emergent

Question 31

What’s a pre existing category

Answer 31

Set before research

Question 32

What’s an emergent category

Answer 32

Emerge when examining Start broad then revisit and narrow

Question 33

What is meta analysis

Answer 33

Process of combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view of topic May involve quantitive or qualitative

Question 34

Strengths of meta analysis

Answer 34

Allow us to create a larger more varied sample Using secondary research reduces ethical difficulties

Question 35

Weaknesses of meta analysis

Answer 35

Publication bias may leave out negative results Secondary data means no knowledge of accuracy