The document discusses strengths and weaknesses of using questionnaires in research. Key strengths are that questionnaires allow for standardized instructions, informed consent from participants, and the right to withdraw. They can also represent real-life situations. Weaknesses include potential response biases as participants may fall into response patterns or give socially desirable answers rather than truthful ones. Researchers may also need to hide the true aims of the study, which poses ethical issues.
2. Strengths of Questionnaires
Can use standardised instructions
Allow for informed consent
Allow for right to withdraw
Can represent real life
3. Standardised instructions
Tell the participants what to do .
The same for everyone.
If the researcher was to say the instructions it might
influence how the participants answer.
Needed to measure the dependant variable.
Make sure people are treated the same in each condition.
Important for CONTROL
Do Quick Check A
4. Informed Consent
Need to know what the study is about so that they can
give their consent.
Questionnaires may ask people personal questions so
Ethics is important.
In a questionnaire you can collect information and ask if
people are happy to continue.
Good Ethically and easy to get consent
5. Right to Withdraw
Participants should be told they have the right to
withdraw.
They then know they do not have to answer the whole
questionnaire.
The right to withdraw can be printed on the front which is
good, it makes it really clear.
6. Representing Real Life
People can describe what they do in everyday
situations.
Making this more realistic then some experiments.
Questionnaires can ask about what dreams are
like in the home, which is the natural
environment as opposed to conducting the
experiment in a lab.
8. Response Bias
Could fall into patterns of answering.
If you guess that the questionnaire is about TV Violence and you are against
it, you might give answers expressing that view.
If they volunteer for the questionnaire they are generally helpful;
This could mean they give answers the researcher wants.
Getting into patterns
E.g. saying yes to every answer or choosing the middle answer.
To reduce response Bias you could use a Likert-Style so some expressing
positive attitudes and some expressing negative attitudes.
Do Quick Check B
9. Social Desirability Bias
When participants answer questions they know someone is
going to read, they will want to look good. (this could be
unconsciously).
Giving answers they believe are wanted rather than what they
really believe.
This could be reduced by giving the participants numbers
rather than using their real names.
10. Hiding the Aims
Sometimes you need to hide the aims from the
participants
What ethical problem does this pose?
Complete Questions 1 to 4.
