Sociology 2206A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Social Desirability Bias, Sampling Frame, False Premise
18 Apr 2017
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Most widely used data-gathering technique in social research. Asks people (respondents) about beliefs, opinions, characteristics, and past or present behaviour appropriate for self-reported beliefs or behaviours. They are strongest when the answers people give to questions measure variables. Researchers warn against asking why questions unless they want to discover a respondent"s subjective understanding or informal theory. Limitation of survey research is that it provides data only of what a person or organization says, and this may differ from what they actually do. Sample many respondents who answer the same questions, in the same order, in the same way. Measure many variables, test multiple hypotheses, and infer temporal order from questions about past behaviour, experiences, or characteristics. Survey researchers think of alternative explanations when planning a survey, measure variables that represent alternative explanations, then statistically examine their effects to rule out alternative explanations. Researcher keeps track of each respondent, questionnaire, and interviewer. Decide on type of survey (mail, online, interview, telephone)
