self report techniques

• Questionnaires are made up of preset list of written questions to which a participant response. They can be used as part of an experiment to assess the dependent variable
• Strength of questionnaires:

  • Can be distributed to lots of people – gather large amounts of data quickly and researcher need not be present when completed. Reduces the effort involved and makes questionnaires cost effective
  • Straightforward to analyse – especially if closed, fix choice questions are used. Statistical data can be easily converted to graphs and charts for comparison
• Limitations of questionnaires:

  • Responses may not always be truthful – respondents tend to be present themselves in a positive light. Thus social desirability bias is possible
  • Response bias - respondents my favour a particular kind of response like they always agree. This means that all respondents tend to reply on a similar way
• Interviews are face-to-face or online interactions between an interviewer and an interviewee. Structured interviews are a list of predetermined questions asked in a fixed order. Unstructured interviews are when there as no set questions, there is a general topic to be discussed but their interactions free-flowing at the interview is encouraged. Semistructured interviews are when there is a list of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers ask further questions based on previous answers
• Strength and limitation of structured interview:

  • Easy to replicate – straightforward to replicate because of the standardised format. The format also reduces differences between interviewers
  • Interviewers cannot elaborate – interviewers cannot deviate from their questions. This may limit the richness of data collected
• Strength and limitation of unstructured interview:

  • There is greater flexibility – unlike a structured interview, points can be followed up as they arise. More likely to gain insight into interviewees worldwide and collect unexpected information
  • Increase the risk of interviewer bias stash close the dialogue between the interview an interviewee. Means more opportunity for unconscious cues