Psychology Chapter 4

Alternatives to Experimentation: Surveys & Interviews

• Surveys efficiently gather information on people's opinions, attitudes, preferences, and behaviors through direct questioning.
• Can collect substantial data quickly from large participant groups, enhancing research efficiency.

Advantages of Surveys

• Efficiency: Facilitate large-scale data collection within a short timeframe.
• Versatility: Applicable to diverse topics, including opinions, experiences, and behaviors.
• Anonymity: Encourages honest responses, especially on sensitive subjects.
• Cost-effective: Generally cheaper than experiments or in-depth interviews.
• Generalizability: Findings can infer trends in broader populations based on sampled responses.

Disadvantages of Surveys

• Self-report bias: Respondents may provide inaccurate answers due to social desirability or other biases.
• Limited depth: Surveys often lack in-depth insight into participant experiences and motivations.
• Low response rates: Factors like time constraints, lack of interest, and perceived burden can hinder response rates.
• Question bias: Poorly formulated questions risk obtaining misleading results.
• Lack of control: Surveys do not allow manipulation of variables for establishing cause-and-effect relationships.

Constructing a Good Survey

• Research Objectives: Clearly define specific aims and target audience before designing the survey.
• Question Types:
  • Closed-ended questions: Limit responses to a pre-set number of options. Easier for analysis but harder to construct appropriately.
  • Open-ended questions: Allow detailed responses; beneficial for exploring opinions but challenging for analysis.
• Avoid double-barreled questions: Questions should address a single idea to prevent confusion in responses.
• Levels of Measurement: Determine appropriate measurement levels for responses.
• Pre-testing: Test questions to identify potential interpretation issues arising from question order.

Ethical Considerations

• Ensure confidentiality and manage participants’ emotional responses when answering questions.
• Consideration of how survey methods can produce ethical dilemmas, similar to other psychological research practices.

Self-Administered Questionnaires

• Instructions should be clear and free of jargon.
• Encourage private completion to minimize observer influence and social desirability bias.
• Assess the pros and cons of group settings for survey administration, especially for sensitive topics.

Mail Surveys

• Include a polite cover letter and return envelope to enhance response rates.
• Expect lower participation levels compared to other methods, considering follow-up reminders as needed.
• Keep surveys concise to encourage completion.

Computer and Internet Surveys

• Offer high accessibility and reduced costs but may confront limitations like duplicate responses and technical issues.
• Anonymity can enhance honesty but complicates participant verification.

Telephone Surveys

• Generally achieve high response rates and allow for anonymity but may introduce ethical concerns and time constraints.
• Surveys should maintain a consistent interviewing style and simplify items for clarity.

Types of Interviews

• Structured interviews: Consistent questioning format ensures comparability and quantifiable data collection.
• Face-to-face interviews yield high-quality data through personal engagement and trust-building.