Surveys and Observations: Describing What People Do Part 1 - Chapter 6

Survey or poll

a method of posing standard questions to people online, in person or in written questions 

• Forced-choice questions - People give their opinion by picking the best of two or more more options

Linkret scale

A survey question format using a rating scale containing multiple response options anchored by the specific terms strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. A scale that does not follow this format exactly is called a Likert-type scale

Semantic differential format

A survey question format using a response scale whose numbers are anchored with contrasting adjectives.

Open-ended questions

A survey question format that allows respondents to answer any way they like

A drawback to open-ended questions is that the responses must be WHAT and WHAT, a process that can be difficult and time-consuming 

A drawback to open-ended questions is that the responses must be CODED and CATEGORIZED, a process that can be difficult and time-consuming 

Leading questions

A type of question in a survey or poll whose wording encourages one response more than others, thereby weakening its construct validity. 

Double-barreled questions

A questions that asks two questions in one leading to poor construct validity

Negatively worded questions

questions contain negative phrasing it can cause confusion thereby reducing construct validity (more so measuring their reading comprehension skills than their true opinions)

The WHAT in which questions are asked can affect results as they might WHAT a respondent for the next questions 

The ORDER in which questions are asked can affect results as they might PRIME a respondent for the next questions 

Self-reports are one of the only ways to get WHAT responses

Self-reports are one of the only ways to get MEANINGFUL responses

Response sets or nondifferentiation

A shortcut respondents may use to answer items in a long survey, rather than responding to the content of each item (a consistent way of answering questions) 

Acquiescence or yea-saying

Occurs when people say “yes” or “strongly agree” to every item

Best way to avoid yea-saying is adding in WHAT

Best way to avoid yea-saying is adding in REVERSE-WORDED ITEMS

Reverse-worded items help WHAT so they answer more carefully 

Reverse-worded items help SLOW PEOPLE DOWN so they answer more carefully 

Reverse-worded items don’t always work, as they can cause WHAT

Reverse-worded items don’t always work, as they can cause NEGATIVELY WORDED ITEMS

Fence sitting

Playing it safe by answering in the middle of the scale 

To avoid fence sitting researcher take out the WHAT option making the questionnaire have an WHAT number of options 

To avoid fence sitting researcher take out the MIDDLE option making the questionnaire have an EVEN number of options 

Socially desirable responding or faking good

Because respondents are embarrassed, shy or worried about giving an unpopular opinion they will not tell the truth on a survey or self-report measure 

Faking bad  

Giving answers on a survey that makes one look worse than one really is

To avoid socially desirable responding a researcher ensures that the participants know the survey is WHAT 

To avoid socially desirable responding a researcher ensures that the participants know the survey is ANONYMOUS 

The implicit association test

Asks people to evaluate people’s implicit opinions about sensitive topics (responds quickly either positive or negative)

When asked why they are thinking, behaving or feeling the way they do, the explanation is WHAT to what they had answered with

When asked why they are thinking, behaving or feeling the way they do, the explanation is INACCURATE to what they had answered with

Memories for significant life experiences can be WHAT

Image

Memories for significant life experiences can be ACCURATE

Flashbulb memories

memories remain vivid over time even as they decline in accuracy 

Online ratings are examples of WHAT claims

Online ratings are examples of FREQUENCY claims