2. Questionnaires Cont.
Closed questions;
Likert scales - numerical rating from 1-5
Attitude Scales - statement is given, followed by
a number of responses (usually from strongly
agree to strongly disagree)
Rank Orders - e.g. from 1-10 (1 being not at all,
10 being absolutely)
Checklists - tick any items that apply to you!!
Semantic Differential Scales - 2 extremes are
given, responses fall between these values
3. Advantages of Questionnaires
Speed!! - Huge amounts of data can be
collected very quickly (though response rates
typically are low)
Simplicity!!! - once designed they’re easy to
carry out, especially if posted or online.
Data from closed questions is easy to
analyse, minimum risk of mis-interpretation
4. Disadvantages of
Questionnaires
Question Wording!!! - if the wording of some
questions is ambiguous (unclear),
misinterpretation can occur.
Leading questions can influence the response
e.g. Don’t you think..?
Answers may not be valid (e.g. People lie) or
reliable (e.g. people forget)
Social desirability effect- Answering in a way
that makes you look good
5. Interviews
Three main types;
Structured - usually produces quantitative
data, where questions are decided in advance
- researcher determines the focus
Unstructured - questions not decided in
advance - allows the focus to be decided
during the session
Semi-structured - Most successful, with only
some questions decided in advance
(interviewee can elaborate on their answers)
6. Advantages of Interviews
Sensitive Topics - certain aspects of
behaviour may be personal (or
sensitive), therefore best ‘tackled’ by
this approach
Flexibility - The interviewer can
investigate complex issues, which may
be difficult to study via experiments
7. Disadvantages of Interviews
Responses - depending on the type of
interview, the responses of the interviewee
may be restricted
Mis-interpretation & Bias - to be completely
objective, the interviewer needs to be
detached from the interviewee - difficult to
achieve. Data collected can be difficult to
analyse (unstructured)
8. The Experimental Method
Key features of this method;
Cause & Effect is sought
IV, DV & EV’s
Control
Predictability
Replicability
Objectivity
Three key types of experiment (lab, field &
natural)
10. Disadvantages of this method
Loss of Validity (ecological)
Researcher Bias
Demand Characteristics
Ethical Considerations
Generalisation of findings (often involve
white, middle class males)
11. Observational Methods
Key features of this method;
No direct manipulation of variables
Can be used when such manipulation would
be inappropriate
May also be controlled (e.g. the strange
situation)
May also be participant based, where the
researcher joins the group (covertly)
12. Advantages of Observational
Methods
Can be used as a preliminary
research tool (I.e can be useful in
generating hypotheses)
Validity - Ecological & realistic, since the
‘subjects’ are in their natural
environments
13. Disadvantages!!!
Control - Very little (if any) over variables
Cause & Effect impossible
Observer Effects - presence of an observer
can change behaviour
Reliability - observers may mis-interpret what
they observe
Replicability - No control, no replication of
procedures