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Chp3 Final

The document discusses survey research methods. It covers constructing surveys, measuring responses, important considerations for survey items, collecting survey data, and sampling techniques. Specifically, it discusses the major steps in constructing surveys, types of survey questions, analyzing different question types, levels of measurement for responses, response biases, and probability versus nonprobability sampling.

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Nikko Jhon Coronel
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32 views41 pages

Chp3 Final

The document discusses survey research methods. It covers constructing surveys, measuring responses, important considerations for survey items, collecting survey data, and sampling techniques. Specifically, it discusses the major steps in constructing surveys, types of survey questions, analyzing different question types, levels of measurement for responses, response biases, and probability versus nonprobability sampling.

Uploaded by

Nikko Jhon Coronel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LECTURE

Survey Research
Constructing Surveys
Measuring Responses
Important Considerations for Survey Items
Collecting Survey Data
Evaluating Surveys and Survey Data
Sampling
Probability Sampling
Nonprobability Sampling
Survey &
Interview
Module 3
Non-experimental Designs
Survey research obtains data about
opinions, attitudes, preferences, and
behaviors using questionnaires or
interviews.
The survey approach allows researchers to
study private experience, which cannot be
directly observed.
ADVANTAGE
• We can efficiently collect large amounts of data.
• Anonymous surveys can increase the accuracy of answers
to sensitive questions.
• Surveys can allow us to draw inferences about the causes
of behavior and can complement laboratory and field
experiments.
LIMITATIONS
• The survey approach does not allow us to test
hypotheses about causal relationships

• We are not able manipulate independent


variables and control extraneous variables.
MAJOR STEPS IN CONSTRUCTING SURVEYS
1. Identify specific research objectives.
2. Decide on the degree of imposition of units
(degree of response restriction/manipulation).
3. Decide how you will analyze the survey
data.
MAJOR QUESTION TYPES
Closed questions Open-ended questions
(structured questions) (open questions)
Can be answered using a limited number Require that participants respond with more
of alternatives and have a high than a yes or 1-10 rating and have a low
imposition of units. imposition of units.
For example, “Are you a registered For example, “Why did you choose
voter?” Psychology as your major?”
ANALYZING DATA FROM EACH QUESTION TYPE
Open-ended questions can be analyzed
The number or percent of using content analysis, in which
responses can be reported for responses are assigned to categories using
closed questions. objective rules.
What are three concerns when
constructing questions?
1. Keep items simple and unambiguous, and
avoid double negatives.
2. Avoid double-barreled (compound)
questions that require responses about
two or more unrelated ideas.
3. Use exhaustive response choices.
“How are you?”
MEASURING RESPONSES

A nominal scale assigns items to two or


Angry
Languishing
Ecstatic more distinct categories that can be
Sad
Satisfied
named using a shared feature, but does
not measure their magnitude.
MEASURING RESPONSES

Neutral
An ordinal scale measures the magnitude
of the dependent variable using ranks, but
Extremely
Extremely
Happy Happy
Unhappy Unhappy

does not assign precise values.


MEASURING RESPONSES

An interval scale measures the


-2
0
+2 magnitude of the DV using equal
intervals between values with no absolute
+1
-1

zero point.
MEASURING RESPONSES
A ratio scale measures the magnitude of
the dependent variable using equal intervals
between values and an absolute zero.
3 (Neutral)
5 (Very
1 (Very
It has the characteristics of all the levels of
4 (Somewhat Happy)
Unhappy) 2 (Somewhat Happy)
Unhappy)

measurement as created by S.S. Stevens


This scale allows us to state that a 2-meter board
is twice as long as a 1-meter board.
Let’s Try!
What type of Levels of Measurement is this?
Let’s Try!
What type of Levels of Measurement is this?
Let’s Try!
What type of Levels of Measurement is this?
How should we select measurement
scales?

The best type of scale depends on the


variable you are studying and the level
of precision you desire.
Since psychological variables like traits,
attitudes, and preferences represent a
continuous dimension, several levels
of measurement “fit” equally well.
Subjects decide to refuse to answer surveys
during the start or first few questions.
Engage subjects from the start by asking
interesting questions they will not mind
answering.

Important Considerations for Survey Items


The first survey question should be:
1. relevant to the survey’s central topic
2. easy to answer
3. interesting
4. answerable by most respondents
5. closed format

Important Considerations for Survey Items


Important Considerations for
Survey Items
Response styles are tendencies to respond
to questions or test items without regard to their
actual wording.
People differ in their willingness to answer, position
preference, and yea-saying and nay-saying.
Yea-saying is agreeing with an item regardless of its manifest content.
Nay-saying is disagreeing with an item regardless of its manifest content.
Important Considerations for
Survey Items
Manifest content is the plain meaning of the words
printed on the page.
While we expect subjects to respond to the manifest
content of questionnaires, they may
ignore it when answering questions about their
feelings or attitudes.
Important Considerations for
Survey Items

Latent content is the hidden or disguised meanings,


wishes, and ideas beneath the manifest content of any
utterance or other form of communication.
Important Considerations for
Survey Items

Willingness to answer is the tendency to


guess or omit items when unsure.
Response Biases

The social desirability response set is representing


ourselves in a socially appropriate fashion when responding to
a question’s latent content (underlying meaning).
Response Biases

Malingering or faking bad happens when respondents might sometimes try to


exaggerate their psychological problems

For example, in some applied testing contexts, test takers may be motivated to
appear more cognitively impaired or psychologically disturbed than they truly are
Response Biases
Moderate or neutral response bias happens
when some people will choose a response somewhere
in the middle to avoid making a strong claim
Response Biases
Extreme response bias survey bias that is characterized by
respondents providing extreme answers to questions. This can
manifest as extreme positive or negative responses, and both
render the data ineffective.
Response Biases

Position preference is selecting an


answer based on its position.
For example, students choosing “A" on
multiple-choice exams.
Response Biases
Do you tend to say "yes" to just about everything?

Acquiescence bias occurs when an individual agrees with


statements without regard for the meaning of those
statements

For example, an inventory may have items such as:


• "I enjoy my job"
• "I dislike my job"

In its extreme form, people who engage in acquiescence will


respond "strongly agree" to both of these items even though
they are polar opposites of the same construct.
Important Considerations for
Survey Items
Context effects are changes in question
interpretation due to question position/ order
within a survey.
This problem is especially likely when two
questions are related and not separated by
buffer items (unrelated questions).
Buffer Items in Context
Effects
Interview a qualitative research technique which involves asking
open-ended questions to converse with respondents and collect
elicit data about a subject.
In structured interviews, In unstructured interviews,
questions are asked the same the interviewer can explore
way each time. This provides interesting topics as they
more usable, quantifiable data. arise. These data may not be
usable for content analysis.

DATA COLLECTION
A population consists of all people, animals, or objects that share at least one characteristic.

A sample is a subset of the population of interest (the population we are studying).

DATA COLLECTION
A probability sample is more
likely to represent the
population (external validity)
than a nonprobability sample.

DATA COLLECTION
Fishbowl draw or lottery method You choose every “nth” individual to be a part of the sample.
the researcher selects a select number of slips randomly

Involves a method where the researcher divides a more Researchers select the clusters by dividing the population
extensive population into smaller groups (“strata”) into various smaller sections.

Probability
Probability SamplingSampling
Non-Probability
Probability Sampling Sampling
or purposive sampling

Non- Probability Sampling

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