Research Methodology

Lecture 5Ms Farha Hassan

Surveys

Surveys ask respondents for information using verbal or written questioning

Respondents

Respondents are a representative sample of people

Gathering Information via Surveys

• Quick• Inexpensive• Efficient• Accurate• Flexible

Problems

• Poor Design• Improper Execution

Interviewer Bias

• A response bias that occurs because the presence of the interviewer influences answers.

Auspices Bias

• Bias in the responses of subjects caused by the respondents being influenced by the organization conducting the study.

Social Desirability Bias

• Bias in responses caused by respondents’ desire, either conscious or unconscious, to gain prestige or appear in a different social role.

Communicating with Respondents

• Personal interviews• Door-to-door• Shopping mall intercepts

• Telephone interviews• Self-administered questionnaires

Personal Interviews

Good Afternoon, my name is_________. I am with _________survey research company. We are conducting a survey on_________

Door-to-Door Personal Interview

• Speed of data collection– Moderate to fast

• Geographical flexibility– Limited to moderate

• Respondent cooperation– Excellent

• Versatility of questioning– Quite versatile

Door-to-Door Personal Interview

• Questionnaire length– Long

• Item nonresponse– Low

• Possibility of respondent misunderstanding– Lowest

• Degree of interviewer influence of answer– High

Door-to-Door Personal Interview

• Ease of call back or follow-up– Difficult

• Cost– Highest

• Special features– Visual materials may be shown or demonstrated;

extended probing possible

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

• Speed of data collection– Fast

• Geographical flexibility– Confined, urban bias

• Respondent cooperation– Moderate to low

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

• Questionnaire length– Moderate to long

• Item nonresponse– Medium

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

• Degree of interviewer influence of answers– Highest

• Supervision of interviewers– Moderate to high

• Anonymity of respondent– Low

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

• Ease of call back or follow-up– Difficult

• Cost– Moderate to high

• Special features– Taste test, viewing of TV commercials possible

Telephone Surveys

Telephone Surveys

• Speed of Data Collection– Very fast

• Geographical Flexibility– High

• Respondent Cooperation– Depends

• Versatility of Questioning– Moderate

Telephone Surveys

• Questionnaire Length– Moderate

• Possibility of Respondent Misunderstanding– Average

• Degree of Interviewer Influence of Answer– Moderate

• Ease of call back or follow-up– Easy

Telephone Surveys

• Cost– Low to moderate

• Special features– Fieldwork and supervision of data collection are

simplified; quite adaptable to computer technology

Telephone Surveys

• Central location interviewing( WATS)• Computer-assisted telephone interviewing

(CATI)• Computerized voice-activated interviews

DISADVANTAGES

• Lack of visual medium• Limited duration• Absence of face to face contact• ???

M A IL IN -P E R S O ND R O P -O F F

IN S E R TS F A X

P A P E RQ U E S TIO N N A IR E S

E -M A IL IN TE R N E TW E B S ITE

K IO S K

E L E C TR O N ICQ U E S TIO N N A IR E S

S E L F -A D M IN IS TE R E DQ U E S TIO N N A IR E S

Self-Administered Questionnaires

Mail Surveys

Mail Surveys

• Speed of data collection– Researcher has no control over return of

questionnaire; slow

• Geographical flexibility– High

• Respondent cooperation– Moderate--poorly designed questionnaire will

have low response rate

Mail Surveys

• Versatility of questioning– Highly standardized format

• Questionnaire length– Varies depending on incentive

• Item nonresponse– High

Mail Surveys

• Possibility of respondent misunderstanding– Highest--no interviewer present for clarification

• Degree of interviewer influence of answer– None--interviewer absent

• Supervision of interviewers– Not applicable

Mail Surveys

• Anonymity of respondent– High

• Ease of call back or follow-up– Easy, but takes time

• Cost– Lowest

Increasing Response Rates

• Effective cover letter• Money helps• Interesting questions• Follow-ups• Advanced notification• Keying questionnaires

E-Mail Questionnaire Surveys

• Speed of data collection– Instantaneous

• Geographic flexibility– worldwide

• Cheaper distribution and processing costs

E-Mail Questionnaire Surveys

• Flexible, but– Extensive differences in the capabilities of

respondents’ computers and e-mail software limit the types of questions and the layout

• E-mails are not secure and “eavesdropping” can possibly occur

• Respondent cooperation– Varies depending if e-mail is seen as “spam”

Internet Surveys

• A self-administered questionnaire posted on a Web site.

• Respondents provide answers to questions displayed online by highlighting a phrase, clicking an icon, or keying in an answer.

Internet Surveys

• Speed of data collection– Instantaneous

• Cost effective• Geographic flexibility

– worldwide

• Visual and interactive

Internet Surveys

• Respondent cooperation– Varies depending on web site– Varies depending on type of sample– When user does not opt-in or expect a voluntary

survey cooperation is low. – Self-selection problems in web site visitation

surveys - participants tend to be more deeply involved than the average person.

Internet Surveys

• Versatility of questioning– Extremely versatile

• Questionnaire length– Individualized base on respondent answers– Longer questionnaires with panel samples

• Item nonresponse– Software can assure none

Internet Surveys

• Representative samples• The quality of internet samples may vary

substantially. • A sample of those who visit a web page and

voluntarily fill out a questionnaires can have self-selection error.

Drawbacks

• Not all individuals in the general public have internet access

• Many respondents lack powerful computers with high-speed connections to the internet

• Many respondents computer skills will be relatively unsophisticated.

• Possibility for respondent misunderstanding is high.

Internet Surveys

• Anonymity of Respondent– Respondent can be anonymous or known

• Ease of Callback or Follow-up– difficult unless e-mail address is known

• Special Features– allows graphics and streaming media

“YOU SEE, BUT YOU DO NOT OBSERVE.”

Sherlock Holmes

Scientific Observation Is Systematic

What Can Be Observed?

• Physical actions• Verbal behavior• Expressive behavior• Spatial relations and locations• Temporal patterns• Verbal and pictorial records

Phenomena Example

Human behavior or physical Shoppers movementaction pattern in a store

Verbal behavior Statements made byairline travelers who waitin line

Expressive behavior Facial expressions, tone of voice, and other form of body language

What Can Be Observed

Phenomena Example

Spatial relations How close visitors at anand locations art museum stand to paintings

Temporal patterns How long fast-food customerswait for their order to be served

Physical objects What brand name items are stored in consumers’ pantries

Verbal and Pictorial Bar codes on product packagesRecords

What Can Be Observed

Categories of Observation

• Human versus mechanical• Visible versus hidden• Direct• Controlled

Observation of Human BehaviorBenefits

• Communication with respondent is not necessary

• Data without distortions due to self-report (e.g.: without social desirability) Bias

• No need to rely on respondents memory• Nonverbal behavior data may be obtained

Observation of Human BehaviorBenefits

• Certain data may be obtained more quickly• Environmental conditions may be recorded• May be combined with survey to provide

supplemental evidence

Observation of Human BehaviorLimitations

• Cognitive phenomena cannot be observed• Interpretation of data may be a problem• Not all activity can be recorded• Only short periods can be observed• Observer bias possible• Possible invasion of privacy

Scientifically Contrived Observation

• The creation of an artificial environment to test a hypothesis

Content Analysis

• Obtains data by observing and analyzing the content of advertisements, letters, articles, etc.

• Deals with the study of the message itself• Measures the extent of emphasis or omission

Mechanical Observation

• Traffic Counters• Web Traffic• Scanners• Peoplemeter• Physiological

Measures

Physiological Reactions

• Eye tracking• Pupilometer• Psychogalvanometer• Voice pitch

Eye Tracking Monitors

• Record how the subject actually reads or views an advertisement

• Measure unconscious eye movements

Pupilometer

• This device observes and records changes in the diameter of the subject’s pupils.

• Increased pupil size reflects positive attitude towards a stimulus.

Psychogalvanometer

• Measures galvanic skin response(GSR) or• Involuntary changes in the electrical resistance

of the skin.• Assumption:• physiological changes accompany emotional

reactions• Emotional reactions to advertisements,

slogans, etc

Voice Pitch Analysis

• Measures emotional reactions through physiological changes in a person’s voice.

• Very expensive.