Survey Methods Ch 5

Front 1

Uses of surveys

Back 1

describing
predicting

Front 2

describing

Back 2

describing peoples opinions, attitudes, and preferences

Front 3

predicting

Back 3

predicting peoples behavior (correlational research)

Front 4

Representative Sample

Back 4

is one we can draw accurate and unbiased esimates of the characteristics of the population from because our sample has the same distribution of chars as the population of interest

Front 5

Biased Sample (plus example)

Back 5

- a sample in which the distrib of chars in the sample is different from the target population
- some parts of population are over represented and other parts are under represented
ex: sameple- 100 adults; 80 women, 20 men
population- 60% females, 40% men

Front 6

2 approaches to sampling

Back 6

non probability
probability

Front 7

non probability sampling (name the 3 types)

Back 7

a sampling procedure in which there is no way to estimate the probability of each person being included in the sample
types:
- convenience
- quota
- purposive

Front 8

probability sampling (name the 3 types)

Back 8

a sampling procedure in which one can specify the probability that each person of the population will be included in the sample
types:
- simple random
- stratified random
- cluster

Front 9

convenience sampling (plus examples)

Back 9

selecting respondents based on their availibility and willingness to respond (take what you can get)
ex: man on the street, college subj polls

Front 10

quota sampling (plus examples)

Back 10

take steps to ensure certain number of people from a particular group
ex: certain number of rich/poor, A. American

Front 11

purposive sampling (plus examples)

Back 11

study only one group of interest
ex: female schizos, college freshmen

Front 12

Simple random sampling (plus examples)

Back 12

- random set of people from whole pop.
- list population and choose randomly
ex: select randomly from all of a specific college student

Front 13

stratified random sampling (plus examples)

Back 13

- divided population in to subsets, choose randomly form each set
ex: divide college students into sets based on class then select randomly

Front 14

cluster sampling (plus examples)

Back 14

- randomly choose participants from a randomly selected set (multistage sampling)
ex: randomly sample form only the "senior" set

Front 15

survey methods (4)

Back 15

telephone interviews
personal interviews
mail surveys
electronic methods

Front 16

Telephone interviews

Back 16

- traditional vs. computer assisted
- frequently used for brief surveys

Front 17

telephone interviews PROS

Back 17

- can reach a diverse neighborhoods, locked population
- provides access to dangerous neighborhoods, locked buildings, respondents only availiable at off time hours
- can be completed quickly

Front 18

telephone interviews CONS

Back 18

- biased sample: unlisted numbers; no phone
- respondings to a "faceless" voice

Front 19

Personal interviews

Back 19

inhome vs. mall/ store- intercept

Front 20

personal interviews PROS

Back 20

- allow for the most control over how the survey is conducted
- ability to obtain clarification
- higher response rate compared to other methods (mail surveys)

Front 21

personal interviews CONS

Back 21

- costly
- greater potential for "interviewer bias"
- responses recorded inaccurately
- interviewers guide responses

Front 22

Mail Survey PROS

Back 22

- quick and conveinent
- because respondent fill them out on their own, you avoid interviewer bias
- best method when dealing with personal/ embarrassing topics, due to a higher percieved anonymity

Front 23

mail survey CONS

Back 23

- highest "response rate" among all survey methods- a threat to the representativemess of a sample because not all respondents complete the survey
- lack of interest, literacy problems, low educational background, vision problems
- avg response rate for a mail survey is 30%

Front 24

Electronic methods (internet and email) PROS

Back 24

- efficient, low cost method
- has the potential to reach large, diverse, perhaps under represented samples

Front 25

Electronic methods (internet and email) CONS

Back 25

- Selection Bias- can only reach those with access to the internet
- lack of control over the research environment
- ethical issues- informed consent, protection from harm
- multiple submissions, frivolous responding
- setting in which survey is taken

Front 26

survey research designs (3)

Back 26

cross sectional
successive independent samples
longitudinal design

Front 27

cross sectional

Back 27

- survey research design in which one or more samples of the population are selected and information is collected from the samples at one point in time

Front 28

cross sectional GOALS

Back 28

- description- you end up with info about chars of the group you are sampling
- predictions- correlational research

Front 29

cross sectional DRAWBACKS

Back 29

only one time point: can't assess changes in attitudes/ behs over time with cross sectional

Front 30

successive independent samples (example)

Back 30

a survey research design in which a series of cross sectional surveys are done and the same questions are asked of each succeeding sample of new respondents
ex: Gallup polls; presidential "approval ratings"

Front 31

successive independent samples GOAL

Back 31

study change in population over time

Front 32

successive independent samples DRAWBACKS

Back 32

- potential validity issues: are your groups comparable?
- does not allow you to infer how individ respondents have changed over time

Front 33

Longitudinal Design

Back 33

a research design in which the same sample of respondents are interviews/ surveyed/ tested more than once

Front 34

Longitudinal Design GOALS

Back 34

study change in individual over time

Front 35

Longitudinal Design PROS

Back 35

can determine direction and extent of change for individual responses
- easier than, to investigate reasons for change

Front 36

Longitudinal Design CONS

Back 36

ATTRITION- the loss of participants in a study, which you could result in a final sample that is comparable/ unrepresentative of the population
- voluntary dropout, move away, die
- cost

Front 37

______ and ______ are ___ the same thing in psychological research methods

Back 37

Questionnaire, survey, not

Front 38

things to AVOID when dealing with Questionnaires

Back 38

1. vague questions
2. lengthy questions
3. double barreled questions
4. loaded language
5. slang, jargon, abbreviations, and acronyms
6. negative wording
7. evaluative language
- phrasing should not imply approval, disapproval
8. phrasing of questions is critical
- slight variations in wording can alter answers

Front 39

_____ of questions is critical!

Back 39

Phrasing

Front 40

Respondents abilities

Back 40

must be capable and willing to answer the questions

Front 41

intentional misreporting/ nondisclosure of information

Back 41

- may be unaware of topic/ issue
- may be unwilling to disclose
- may lie, exaggerate, under report or over report

Front 42

Why is there intentional misreporting/Non-disclosure of information?

Back 42

- embarassment
- fear of negative sanctions
- shame, public humiliation
- privacy

Front 43

social desirability bias

Back 43

pressure on respondents to answer as they think they should respond in accordance with what is most socially acceptable and not in accordance with what they actually believe

Front 44

order effects

Back 44

the sequencing of questions

Front 45

Halo Effect

Back 45

carry over from one item to the next

Front 46

survey method

Back 46

face to face interview, tele survey, mail survey
- anonymous vs. non anonymous questionnaire

Front 47

fatigue

Back 47

minimize length of survey