SELF-REPORTS

• WHAT IS A SELF-REPORT?

  non-experimental research method where the participant gives information to the researcher providing details of their own feelings, thoughts and behaviours
• TWO MAIN TYPES OF SELF-REPORTS?

  questionnaires and interviews
• WHAT IS A QUESTIONNAIRE?

  where participant records own written responses to questions
• WHAT FORMS CAN A QUESTIONNAIRE TAKE?

  via post or online
• WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW?

  where interviewer records participants verbal responses to questions
• WHAT FORMS CAN AN INTERVIEW TAKE?

  face-to-face, videocall or phone
• ISSUES WITH SELF-REPORTS?

  • lack objectivity
  • can give false information (lack internal validity)
• WHAT IS OBJECTIVE DATA?

  data that lacks bias, judgement or prejudice (factual information)
• WHAT IS SUBJECTIVE DATA?

  data based on a personal perspective that can be influenced by personal beliefs or opinions
• ISSUES THAT DECREASE VALIDITY OF SELF-REPORTS/ INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SELF-REPORTS?

  • social desirability
  • responding to demand characteristics
  • lack of insight into topic in question
  • cannot remember necessary information
• WHY DOES SOCIAL DESIRABILITY AFFECT VALIDITY OF INVESTGATIONS?

  participants lie to look socially acceptable
• WHY DO DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS AFFECT VALIDITY OF INVESTIGATIONS?

  participants lie to go along with what they believe the interviewer wants (to sabotage or help) in accordance with what they think the aim is
• WHY DOES LACK OF INSIGHT AFFECT VALIDITY OF INVESTIGATIONS?

  no confidence to give true opinion, or discuss in a way that reflects true beliefs
• WHY DOES THE INABILITY TO REMEMBER INFORMATION AFFECT THE VALIDITY OF INVESTIGATIONS?

  cannot give accurate, in depth answers
• HOWEVER HOW CAN SELF-REPORTS IMPROVE VALIDITY?

  • more insights into motivation
  • removes researcher bias
  • measuring through own personal experiences
• MAIN PROBLEMS IN QUESTIONS SELF-REPORTS?

  • jargon, complexity or ambiguous statements
  • emotive language
  • leading questions
  • double barrelled questions (multiple parts to question)
  • double negative questions
• HOW TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS IN QUESTIONS IN SELF-REPORTS?

  • lie scales (questions with predictable answers/ contradictory questions)
  • triangulate with other methods
  • remind participants of anonymity
  • use an investigator who does not know experiment aim (confederate)
  • deceive participants and don't tell specific aim
  • compare with pre-established measure then remove problematic questions
• WHEN ARE CLOSED QUESTIONS MOST COMMON?

  questionnaires
• WHAT TYPE OF DATA DO CLOSED QUESTIONS PROVIDE?

  quantitative
• WHAT TYPE OF DATA CAN CLOSED QUESTIONS PROVIDE?

  ones that can easily establish patterns and are able to be statistically analysed/ visually displayed in a graph
• WHAT DOES DATA FROM CLOSED QUESTIONS LACK?

  detail = decrease validity/ create response bias (randomly tick)
• TYPES OF CLOSED QUESTIONS?

  1. Fixed choice option
  2. Rating scale
  3. Likert scale
• WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS DO IN A FIXED CHOICE OPTION QUESTION?

  select one or more from a list of options
• WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS DO IN A RATING SCALE?

  identify a value that represents their feeling
• WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS DO IN A RATING SCALE?

  indicates level of agreement with statement using a scale
• WHEN ARE OPEN QUESTIONS MORE COMMON?

  interviews
• WHAT TYPE OF DATA DO OPEN QUESTIONS PROVIDE?

  qualitative data
• WHAT IS HIGHER IN OPEN QUESTIONS?

  detail = increases validity
• WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH OPEN QUESTIONS?

  more time consuming to analyse
• WHAT TO DO IF THE EXAMINER ASKS FOR A CLOSED QUESTION?

  give list of options after
• WHAT TO DO IF EXAMINER ASKS YOU FOR OPEN QUESTION?

  start with a term such as "please describe"
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS QUICKER TO ADMINISTER TO A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE?

  questionnaires
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS MORE COST EFFECTIVE?

  interviews
• WHY MAY PEOPLE BE HAPPIER TO DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN AN INTERVIEW THAN QUESTIONNAIRE?

  build rapport with interviewer
• WHY MAY PEOPLE BE HAPPIER TO DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN A QUESTIONNAIRE THAN AN INTERVIEW?

  not face-to-face with an investigator
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE INVESTIGATOR BIAS?

  interviews
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS MORE ABLE TO GET CLARITY IN?

  interviews
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS EASIER TO LIE IN?

  questionnaires
• ARE QUESTIONNAIRES OR INTERVIEWS PROVIDERS OF LESS ACCURATE DATA DUE TO A LACK OF BODY LANGUAGE CLUES?

  questionnaires
• WHAT IS FOUND IN A STRUCTURED INTERVIEW?

  lit of predetermined questions