Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons to Use Surveys in PsychologyHow to Use SurveysAdvantagesDisadvantagesTypes of Psychological SurveysImportant Considerations
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Reasons to Use Surveys in Psychology
How to Use Surveys
Advantages
Disadvantages
Types of Psychological Surveys
Important Considerations
Close
Asurvey is a data collection tool used to gather information about individuals. Surveys are commonly used inpsychology researchto collectself-reportdata from study participants. A survey may focus on factual information about individuals, or it might aim to obtain the opinions of the survey takers.
Psychology surveys involve asking participants a series of questions to learn more about a phenomenon, such as how they think, feel, or behave. Such tools can be helpful for learning about behaviors, conditions, traits, or other topics that interest researchers.
At a GlancePsychological surveys are a valuable research tool that allow scientists to collect large quantities of data relatively quickly. However, such surveys sometimes have low response rates that can lead to biased results. Learning more about how surveys are used in psychology can give you a better understanding of how this type of research can be used to learn more about the human mind and behavior.
At a Glance
Psychological surveys are a valuable research tool that allow scientists to collect large quantities of data relatively quickly. However, such surveys sometimes have low response rates that can lead to biased results. Learning more about how surveys are used in psychology can give you a better understanding of how this type of research can be used to learn more about the human mind and behavior.
So why do psychologists opt to use surveys so often in psychology research?
Surveys are one of the most commonly used research tools because they can be utilized to collect data and describe naturally occurring phenomena that exist in the real world.
They offer researchers a way to collect a great deal of information in a relatively quick and easy way. A large number of responses can be obtained quite quickly, which allows scientists to work with a lot of data.
Surveys in psychology are vital because they allow researchers to:
The Origins of Psychology
How to Use Surveys in Psychology
A survey can be used to investigate the characteristics, behaviors, or opinions of a group of people. These research tools can be used to ask questions about demographic information about characteristics such as sex, religion, ethnicity, and income.
They can also collect information on experiences, opinions, and even hypothetical scenarios. For example, researchers might present people with a possible scenario and then ask them how they might respond in that situation.
How do researchers go about collecting information using surveys?
How Surveys Are AdministeredA survey can be administered in a couple of different ways:Structured interview: The researcher asks each participant the questionsQuestionnaire: the participant fills out the survey independently
How Surveys Are Administered
A survey can be administered in a couple of different ways:Structured interview: The researcher asks each participant the questionsQuestionnaire: the participant fills out the survey independently
A survey can be administered in a couple of different ways:
You have probably taken many different surveys in the past, although the questionnaire method tends to be the most common.
Surveys are generally standardized to ensure that they havereliabilityandvalidity. Standardization is also important so that the results can be generalized to the larger population.
Advantages of Psychological Surveys
One of the big benefits of using surveys in psychological research is that they allow researchers to gather a large quantity of data relatively quickly and cheaply.
A survey can be administered as a structured interview or as a self-report measure, and data can be collected in person, over the phone, or on a computer.
Disadvantages of Using Surveys in Psychology
One potential problem with written surveys is the nonresponse bias.
Experts suggest that return rates of 85% or higher are considered excellent, but anything below 60% might severely impact thesample’s representativeness.
AdvantagesEfficientLess expensiveEasy to create and administerDiverse usesDisadvantagesSubject to nonresponse biasMay be poorly designedLimited answer choices can influence resultsSubject to social desirability bias
AdvantagesEfficientLess expensiveEasy to create and administerDiverse uses
Efficient
Less expensive
Easy to create and administer
Diverse uses
DisadvantagesSubject to nonresponse biasMay be poorly designedLimited answer choices can influence resultsSubject to social desirability bias
Subject to nonresponse bias
May be poorly designed
Limited answer choices can influence results
Subject to social desirability bias
Surveys can be implemented in a number of different ways. The chances are good that you have participated in a number of different market research surveys in the past.
Some of the most common ways to administer surveys include:
Important Considerations When Using Psychological Surveys
When researchers are using surveys in psychology research, there are importantethical factors they need to considerwhile collecting data.
Summary
Psychological surveys can be powerful, convenient, and informative research tools. Researchers often utilize surveys in psychology to collect data about how participants think, feel, or behave. While useful, it is important to construct these surveys carefully to avoid asking leading questions and reduce bias.
8 Sources
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American Psychological Association.Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.
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