self-report techniques

• What is a self-report technique?

  A self-report technique is any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviours and/or experiences related to a given topic.
• What is a questionnaire?

  A set of written questions designed to collect information from a large number of people.
• Are questionnaires structured or unstructured?


  They are always structured as they are planned/written in advance.
• What are open questions?

  Does not have a fixed set of answers and respondents are free to answer in any way.
• What are closed questions?

  Fixed number of responses
• What are two strengths of questionnaires?

  Questionnaires are cost effective

  Questionnaires are usually easy to analyse
• Why are questionnaires cost effective?

  Cost effective because you can give a questionnaire to be completed simultaneously. Or you can send out a lot and ask for them to be sent out. No need for individual testing.
• Why is being cost effective a good thing?

  Good because you can collect more data, more data means that your conclusions are more reliable
• Why are questionnaires easy to analyse?

  Questionnaires tend to collect quantitative data. This can be analysed numerically (averages etc.) which is fast.
• Why is being easy to analyse a good thing?

  Easy to analyse makes it quicker, which makes it cheaper. This means that more data can be analysed for the same cost - more data means that your conclusions are more reliable
• What are two weaknesses of questionnaires?

  Questionnaires can produce social desirability bias

  Questionnaires can produce a response bias
• What is social desirability bias?

  Social desirability bias is when participants lie on their questionnaires to make themselves look better.
• Why would a questionnaire produce social desirability bias?

  This may happen if the questionnaire is asking about behaviours/opinions that may be undesirable
• Why is social desirability bias a bad thing?

  A weakness because if participants lie, the results will be wrong and therefore less valid.
• What is response bias?

  Response bias is when participants don't read the question, they just answer with the same response throughout.
• Why would a questionnaire produce response bias?

  This may happen if the questionnaire is too long or if the participant isn't that interested in taking part
• Why is response bias a bad thing?

  A weakness because if participants don't answer properly and truthfully, the results will be wrong and therefore less valid.
• What is an interview?

  Interviews are a "live" encounter where the researchers ask questions verbally.
• How can interviews be conducted?

  They can be conducted face to face, over the telephone or via a computer using a webcam.
• Are interviews structured or unstructured?


  They can be either
• What is a structured interview?

  Involves identical questions being read to participants
• What is an unstructured interview?

  An informal discussion on a particular topic. Interviewers can explore interesting answers by asking follow up questions
• What is a strength of structured interviews?

  Structured interviews have a standardised format
• How do structured interviews have a standardised format?

  Questions are written in advance & all participants are given the same set of questions.
• Why is a standardised format a strength?

  Therefore, it is straightforward to replicate.

  This makes it easier to check the reliability of the findings.
• What is a strength of unstructured interviews?


  An unstructured interview can follow up on points as they arise
• How do unstructured interviews follow up on points?

  An unstructured interview does not need to follow pre-set questions and therefore has much more flexibility.
• Why is following up on points a strength?

  This makes them much more likely to gain insight into the interviewee.
• What is a weakness of both types of interviews?

  Interviews are open to social desirability bias
• What is the difference between a questionnaire and an interview?

  How they are delivered: Questionnaires are written whereas interviews are verbal
• What advantage might a questionnaire have over an interview?

  Cost effective because you can give a questionnaire to be completed simultaneously. Or you can send out a lot and ask for them to be sent out. No need for individual testing.
• What advantage might an interview have over a questionnaire?

  An unstructured interview does not need to follow pre-set questions and therefore has much more flexibility. This makes them much more likely to gain insight into the interviewee.
• Why might researchers prefer to use mainly closed questions in some studies?

  Closed questions can be analysed numerically which is fast. Easy to analyse makes it quicker, which makes it cheaper
• Why might researchers prefer to use mainly open questions in some studies?

  Participants are able to explain their answers in detail which is more valid as they can explain their true meaning and intention