THREE METHODS of ASSESSING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES

If I was to ask you how much sleep you had last night your response would be SUBJECTIVE as you are giving me your opinion
.
If I was to attach devices to your brain and measure the amount of sleep you had via this equipment the response would be OBJECTIVE as
it was not based on your opinion.
How was the response turned into data?
The method we use to observe or measure participants will provide us with objective or subjective data. Objective
measures provide information about peoples behaviours and abilities, as far as possible, independent of their thoughts
and feelings. Subjective measures provide insight into peoples own perspective; their opinions, feelings, moods and/or
values.

Objective quantitative measures

Objective data follow the notion of seeing is believing. They are based on measurements of a participants response that can
be directly observed and verified by the researcher.
Data collected through an experiment in which observations and measurements are planned, precise and systematic.
Objective data is considered to be free from any bias on the part of the researcher.

Physiological measures of a participants response that can be directly verified by the researcher such as heart rate, reaction time, or
Galvanic Skin Response.
Scores on standardised tests (e.g. intelligence tests).
Behaviour counts are an observational method where a researcher views and records instances of particular predetermined behaviours.
(Number of errors on a memory test)
Objective quantitative data are considered to be free from interpretation or any bias on the part of the researcher.

Subjective quantitative measures

Subjective data are based on self-reports provided by participants.
Subjective data is often biased and tends to be difficult to interpret accurately when compared with objective data.

Numerical measures based on self-reports provided by participants

Measures such as responses on check-lists, questionnaires and rating-scales, or scores on personality tests,
that depend on ones opinion and cannot be directly verified as accurate by the researcher.

Qualitative measures

Qualitative assessment of data is undertaken by content analysis (to determine themes) of

discussions in Focus Groups, or answers to questions when using the Delphi Technique.
Content analysis of responses in focus groups is a common; yet time consuming, method of
collating and analyzing focus group data.

1. Organise the data 2. Identify core themes 3.Code themes 4.Keep track of themes
5. Analysis
Learning Activity 2.16 1b,2b,2c