Chapter 13: Descriptive Research Designs

Flashcards for Chapter 13: Descriptive Research Designs.

Descriptive Research Categories

Observational research, archival research, case study research, and survey research.

Observational Research

Research that records behavior, ranging from naturalistic (no interference) to participant-observer (high interference).

Archival Research

analyzes existing data or records (e.g., census data, medical records) to identify trends or answer questions.

Case Study Research

Provides an in-depth investigation of a single person, group, or event using detailed qualitative and/or quantitative data.

Individual instances

Survey Research

Uses questionnaires or interviews to gather self-reported data about attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, or demographics from a sample of people.

Observational methods and degree of interference

Observational research records behavior. Degree of interference ranges from no interference (naturalistic) to high interference (participant-observer).

Naturalistic Observation: Strengths & Weaknesses

High external validity, real-world data; Low internal validity, can't determine cause, may not generalize.

Participant-Observer Research: Strengths & Weaknesses

Insider perspective, access to hidden groups; Observer bias, ethical concerns, researcher may influence group.

Archival research (Applicaiton)

A psychologist examines 10 years of hospital admission records to study seasonal patterns in depression diagnoses.

Content Analysis of case-studies

Analyzing communication in a case: Manifest and Latent

Manifest content

measures of frequency of some word, image, phrase, or action

• uses quantitative measures to code and count the occurrence of the above

Latent content

measures the appearance of themes, as determined by the researcher

• uses qualitative measures to focus on the narrative and open-ended

major purpose of survey research

To assess knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, or future intentions of individuals.

major purpose of survey 1

Gain knowledge

Information about current events, political or consumer choices

◦ Awareness of Public health resources, health practices, etc.

major purpose of survey 2

Assess Attitudes and Beliefs

Preferences or evaluations: e.g., attitudes toward cultural, ethnic groups, consumers.

◦ Beliefs about political/social events: “which party provides the strongest security for US?”

major purpose of survey 3

To Learn About Behavior

Behavioral intentions; Intent to vote, financial plans, etc.

◦ Self-reports of previous or on-going behavior; topics range from voting to alcohol and drug

use

Types of Survey Questions

Closed-ended (set answers, easier to analyze) and Open-ended (free responses, more detail but harder to analyze).

Open-Ended Question

person answers in their own words, but more

difficult to analyze (eg How do you feel about your Experimental Methods class so far?)

Closed-ended Question

limits the responses to a few alternatives.

(egHow many times this semester have you skipped your 213W class?)

Pros & Cons of Closed-Ended Questions

Easy to score and analyze; May limit how people express their opinions.

Survey Question Requirements

Mutually exclusive (no overlap between answer choices) and Exhaustive (covers all possible response options).

Mutually exclusive: Close ended

Response options do not overlap — each participant should only fit into one category.
Example: Age ranges 18–24, 25–34, 35–44 (no overlap).

Exhaustive

All possible answers are covered — every respondent should be able to choose an appropriate option.
Example: Adding an "Other" or "Prefer not to answer" choice ensures exhaustiveness.

Reactivity Bias

Bias where people alter answers to appear favorable; verification detects dishonesty.

Verification Keys

Detects dishonesty in responses.

Likert scale

Scale indicating agreement or disagreement with a statement.

Survey Administration Methods

Online, mail, telephone, and face-to-face surveys.

Pros & Cons of Survey Methods

Online (fast/cheap, tech barriers),

Mail (anonymous, low response),

Phone (flexible, intrusive),

Face-to-face (best quality, expensive/slow).

Goal of Descriptive Research

To describe behavior or characteristics as they naturally occur, not to find cause-effect relationships.