Summary: Psychology

Read the summary and the most important questions on Psychology

• 1 Basics

• 1.1 Interviews/Questionnaires

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• What are the examples of closed questions?

  1. Categories of response 
  2. Identifying characteristics 
  3. Likert scale 
  4. Ranked scale item
  5. Semantic differential scales 

• What is a categories of response question?

  When one has to tick the most appropriate box or circle the most appropriate answer. 

• What is an identifying characteristics question?

  Where one must circle all the words or characteristics that apply to something. 

• What is a Likert scale question? 

  When one has to tick a box to say how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement; they are usually five-seven point scales. 

• What is a ranked scale item question? 

  When one is asked to give a number to represent their views on a subject; the highest number will account for strongly agreeing with a statement written next to it and the lowest number will account for strongly agreeing with an opposite statement to the previous one, which will also be written next to it. 

• What is a semantic differential scales question?

  When one is asked to place a mark on a line to indicate their feelings on a subject. There will be two opposite words on each end of the line and whichever your mark is closest to is the statement you agree with more. 

• What are the strengths of structured interviews/questionnaires?

  1. Quantitative data is produced which is numerical and easy to analyse
     
  2. standardised questions are easy to replicate so reliability tends to be high

• What are the weaknesses of structured interviews/questionnaires? 

  1. Answers are restricted by a predetermined set of questions that are closed so oftentimes, the reason why a participant has these views is unknown, which reduces detail and lowers validity. 
     
  2. Quantitative data is reductionist because the closed questions lack explanations and oversimplify human behaviour, which also reduces validity.  

• What are the strengths of unstructured interviews/questionnaires?

  Qualitative data is rich in detail as people are able to elaborate on why they have they views they are expressing, which increases validity because it is not reductionist and reflects the complexities of human behaviour.

• What are the weaknesses of unstructured interviews/questionnaires?

  1. The interviews are not standardised, making them hard to replicate so the findings may lack reliability.
     
  2. Qualitative data can be difficult to analyse and prone to biased interpretations. 
  3. Qualitative data is time consuming to analyse.