Question

What are positive and the drawbacks of self-reports:

Answer 1

• In psychology, a self-report is any test, measure, or survey that relies on the individual's own report of their symptoms, behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes. Self-report data is gathered typically from paper-and-pencil or electronic format, or sometimes through an interview.
• Self-reports are commonly used in psychological studies largely because much valuable and diagnostic information about a person is revealed to a researcher or a clinician based on a person’s report on himself or herself.
• One of the most commonly used self-report tools is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for personality testing.
• Positives-
• Good Validity - you ask people directly and get their opinions and what they think.
• Lots of data both qualitative and quantitative and can be gathered quickly and cheaply from different groups and large sample.
• Can be easily replicated - reliable.
• Closed questions are quantifiable - they can be summarised into tables and graphs and compared.
• Self-report data is that it can be easy to obtain and inexpensive. It is also the main way that clinicians diagnose their patients—by asking questions. Those making the self-report are usually familiar with filling out questionnaires.
• Drawbacks-
• Fixed choice questions lack flexibility and forces people to answer - lowers validity.
• Social desirability bias-People are often biased when they report on their own experiences. For example, many individuals are either consciously or unconsciously influenced by "social desirability," that is, they are more likely to report experiences that are considered to be socially acceptable or preferred.
• Acquiescence - yes more then no or just agree.
• Set response.
• Question may be misunderstood - lowers reliability.
• Low response rate.