Self-report techniques

• Self-report techniques are methods where participants provide information about their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours related to a given topic.

  • The two main types are questionnaires and interviews.
• Questionnaires are a set of written questions designed to collect data from participants.

  • They are used to assess thoughts, feelings and/or experiences.
  • The types of questions include open-ended and closed-ended questions.
• Open-ended questions do not have a fixed range of answers, so respondents can answer however they wish.

  • Produces qualitative data that is detailed and rich, but difficult to analyse.
• Closed-ended questions have a fixed number of responses.

  • Produces quantitative data that is easy to analyse, but lacks depth and detail.
• Strengths of questionnaires:

  • Can collect data from large samples quickly → cost-effective
  • Quantitative data (from closed questions) is easy to analyse.
  • Standardised format increases reliability.
• Weaknesses of questionnaires:

  • Social desirability bias → Participants may give answers that make them look good rather than being honest.
  • Misinterpretation → Participants may misunderstand questions, leading to inaccurate responses.
  • Lack of flexibility → Fixed answers may limit detail in responses.
• An interview is a face-to-face, phone, or online conversation where an interviewer asks participants questions to assess the participant's thoughts and/or experiences.

  • The types of interviews include: structured interviews, unstructured interviews and semi-structured interviews.
• Structured Interviews are made up of pre-determined, standardised questions that are asked in a fixed order.
• Unstructured interviews are like a conversation. There are no set questions, but open-ended questions are asked about a certain topic.

  • The interviewee is encouraged to expand and elaborate their answers as prompted by the interviewer.
• Semi-structured interviews are a mix of both structured and unstructured interviews.

  • There are some standardised questions but the interviewer can ask follow-up questions.
• A strength of structured interviews is that they are straightforward to replicate due to their standardised format. The format also reduces differences between interviewers.
• A strength of unstructured interviews is that there is more flexibility than in structured interviews.

  • The interviewer can clarify and explain questions to avoid misunderstanding and ask follow-up questions to gain greater insight.
• A weakness of unstructured interviews is that the analysis of data can be difficult.

  • The interviewer has to sift through all the information and decide what is relevant and irrelevant, which can be time-consuming as it may be difficult to draw firm conclusions.
• Weaknesses of interviews:

  • Time-consuming → Requires one-on-one interactions.
  • Interviewer bias → The way questions are asked may influence responses.
  • Social desirability bias → Participants may not give truthful answers, especially in face-to-face settings.