Research methods

• Self-report measures are often used to measure personality traits, attitudes or mood states.
• A self report questionnaire is a paper based method that asks participants to answer questions about themselves
• The researcher must be aware that the participants may not always tell the truth
• An interview is an oral conversation between the researcher and participant where they ask questions and record answers
• Structured interviews have set questions with predetermined responses which allows for easy analysis but may not allow for flexibility
• Interviews can be structured (prepared) or unstructured (not prepared)
• Structured interviews have set questions with predetermined responses which makes it easier to analyse data but less flexible as there's no room for discussion
• Unstructured interviews do not have set questions so it can be more flexible but harder to analyse data as there will be no clear structure
• Unstructured interviews allow more flexibility so the interviewee can express their thoughts freely however this means its harder to compare results from different people
• Participant observation is when the observer becomes part of the group being observed
• Unstructured interviews are more flexible as there is no set structure so it's easier to explore topics further
• Observation involves watching people without them knowing and recording what happens
• Unstructured interviews are more flexible, allowing for discussion on any relevant topics however this means its harder to analyse data
• A semi-structured interview has some set questions but also allows for flexibility, making it easier to analyse than an unstructured interview
• Participant observation means the observer becomes part of the group being observed
• Questionnaires are written documents containing closed and open ended questions used by researchers to collect information from large groups of people
• Closed questions only require yes/no answers or multiple choice options
• A semi-structured interview has some set questions but also includes open ended questions that are asked by the researcher, allowing them to explore topics further.
• Semi-structured interviews give participants freedom to discuss what they want while still having a framework to follow
• Non-participant observation is where the researcher does not become involved in the situation they are observing
• Advantages of participant observation include that participants feel comfortable around the researcher, making them more likely to act naturally and accurately represent themselves
• In participant observation, the researcher may become friends with participants and gain trust over time
• Disadvantages of participant observation include that the researcher might influence behaviour by acting differently than usual
• Structured interviews involve asking pre-set questions with fixed answers which makes analysis easy but limits exploration of other areas
• Disadvantage of participant observation is that the researcher might influence behaviour by becoming part of the group
• Semistructured interview involves using a framework of questions but allows flexibility so that new ideas can be explored
• Unstructured interviews allow researchers to explore topics freely but make it difficult to analyse data as there is no set structure
• Unstructured interviews allow researchers to explore topics freely without being restricted by set questions or prompts
• Covert observation can lead to unethical behaviour as researchers may lie about who they are and why they are there
• Participants may change their behaviour because they know they're being observed
• Participants may be less aware of being observed if it's done covertly (without their knowledge)
• Participants may change their behaviour when aware they're being watched
• Disadvantages of participant observation include that it may be difficult to remain impartial as the observer becomes part of the group being observed
• Content analysis involves identifying patterns within textual material such as newspapers or social media posts
• Unstructured interviews are open ended and allow interviewees to talk about what they want without any set structure or agenda
• Advantages of structured interviews are that they're quick and cheap to administer and have high reliability because all interviewees answer same questions
• Advantages of unstructured interviews are that they allow participants to express themselves fully, making them more naturalistic and less artificial.
• Advantages of semistructured interviews are that they're flexible and allow for more detailed responses