ADVERTISEMENTS:
This article throws light upon the top three techniques employed by social psychologists for collecting information. The techniques are: 1. Interview 2. Questionnaires 3. Observation Schedule.
Technique # 1. Interview:
Interview is one of the oldest techniques employed by social scientists. In fact, the anthropologist very commonly employed this method. Though this technique is commonly used, it is, in reality, very complicated and is to be used only when absolutely necessary, and there is no other technique that can serve the purpose.
Typically in an interview, the social psychologist or an interviewer selected by him sits across the table and tries to elicit whatever information he needs. For example, if the social psychologist wants to study the views and opinions on some complex issues or some deep rooted beliefs, the interview technique is employed.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
One basic principle is that wherever information can be got through other techniques, the interview should not be used. For instance, if you want to get the opinions and beliefs of people who are illiterate or in the case of children, then the interview method is used. Sometimes interviews are also conducted with the help of other techniques like questionnaire or interview schedules.
The use of the interview technique calls for considerable amount of skill and maturity on the part of the interviewer. In the first stage of the interview, there is a stage called establishment of rapport. This means establishing proper relationship with the interviewee and putting him at ease, so that he feels free and confident to respond without any doubt or fear.
Unless this rapport is established, the interview will not be successful. During this phase, the interviewer must clearly outline the purpose of the interview, the kinds of information he wants and also assuring the interviewee that this information will not be used for any other purpose. Once such a relationship is established, then one can proceed with the interview.
It is also better to start with certain personal questions and establish an acquaintance with the subject. At the next stage, one may start with simple questions for which the interviewee is very likely to have a ready answer or response. If very complicated questions are raised initially and the interviewee is not able to answer them, often the interviewee can get discouraged.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Sometimes, whenever the interviewee finds it difficult to answer some questions, clarification must be offered and he should also be encouraged. If the interviewee gets badly discouraged, then he may not answer the subsequent questions very enthusiastically even if he is capable of responding.
Normally, the interviewer starts with a few general questions and not very specific and detailed questions. This mechanism of proceeding from the general to specific questions is known as the process of funneling. Occasionally if the interview is a long drawn process, it is better to provide some gaps in between and introduce some diversion by asking the interviewee about his feelings on certain other things or issues, his hobbies etc. in a light hearted vein. This will help prevent fatigue and monotony and motivate the interviewee to respond positively to the complicated questions in the later part of the interview.
While initiating an interview and proceeding with it is a difficult process, the termination of an interview is no less a difficult task. Sudden and abrupt termination often leaves the interviewee with some sense of disturbance. As the end of the interview is approaching, he may be told that there are only a few more questions and that it would take only a few more minutes etc. This will prepare him for the termination of the interview.
In view of the fact that interview is a complex and often a very sensitive process, it is a normal procedure to provide sound training to the interviewers before the actual interview commences. They should develop skills of establishing rapport, phrasing the questions properly, maintaining the relationship and also motivating the people to respond to the questions. The type and amount of training to be given depends on the type of people to be interviewed, either children or educated adults or special groups like tribes etc.
It also depends on the type of information to be elicited, whether it is very complicated information, which often has to be extracted by the interviewer, as the interviewee may not be able to respond directly, because of language problem or sometimes, even emotional problems. The interview is one of the most powerful methods and if conducted properly, it can provide any valuable information which is not true of other techniques.
Technique # 2. Questionnaires:
The other common technique employed by the social psychologist is the ‘questionnaire’. The questionnaire is normally used whenever data has to be collected from a large population. The survey method often employs a questionnaire.
The social psychologist frames a number of questions pertaining to the information which he wants to elicit. The information wanted is analysed into different bits and questions are framed to elicit the information on each aspect and finally the responses to all the questions are combined into total information elicited.
The questionnaire can be of two types. In one type, each question is followed by two or three answers like ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ or “Favourable”, “Unfavorable” and “Neutral”. The person answering the questionnaire is instructed to tick one of these answers, after reading each question, whichever answer out of the given ones appears to reflect his response.
These instructions should be made very clear and usually they are printed on the questionnaire itself. If the instructions are not clear, the responses will not be what is wanted. Similarly, care should be taken to see that the words used in framing the questions are very simple, clear and understandable to the person who answers the questions.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
This is because unlike in the case of the interview, here the respondent will not be in a position to seek clarifications. Such questionnaires where fixed alternative answers are provided after each question are known as “close ended” questionnaires or structured questionnaires.
The second type of questionnaire is one where questions are asked and the person answering the questionnaire is requested to answer in his own words. In this case, no alternative answers are provided. Here again, the instructions must be clear. Such questionnaires are known as ‘open ended’ questionnaires or constructed questionnaires. The reader may wonder why we should have two types of questionnaires ‘open ended’ and ‘closed ended’.
The reasons are as follows:
Firstly, when exact quantification and statistical analysis are contemplated, one uses the first category. But on the other hand, if only descriptive analysis is contemplated, then the second category is used. The second consideration is that when we are trying to elicit certain types of information, it may not be possible to categories them into fixed categories.
It is often difficult for the person to answer the questions and give definite categorical answers. The responses may be descriptive and long and may have to be subsequently evaluated by a social psychologist (interviewer).
Thus, the nature of information sought to be elicited and the ability of the person who responds to the questions and the type of analysis planned are some of the considerations, which decide whether one should employ a structured or unstructured questionnaire.
One or two important requirements to be followed before employing a questionnaire are as follows: First, the draft questionnaire must be clearly and carefully edited. Then it has to be tested on a group of people similar to those on whom the questionnaire is to be finally used to see whether the questions and the instructions are correctly understood and whether the respondents are likely to experience any difficulty.
This is called pilot testing. The dependability of the answers should also be tested. This is called ‘reliability test’. There are specific methods of establishing the reliability of a questionnaire. Similarly, another point to be considered is the time taken by an individual to answer the questionnaire.
If the questionnaire consists of very large number of questions, then towards the end the responses may not be very reliable or accurate. Pilot testing takes care of all these, if it is carried out properly. Only after one is satisfied with all the above points, the questionnaire is used in the actual study.
Technique # 3. Observation Schedule:
The observation method is often employed with the help of an observation schedule. Here the observer can do either of two things. He may carefully observe and note down all significant behaviour patterns that occur, which in his judgement are relevant to the behaviour he is involved with.
On the other hand he may, if he has prior expectations prepare a set of behaviour patterns and observe how frequently they occur or how intensely. For example, if we are observing a group of children playing, we may see how often they push each other, quarrel, make fun of some other child, take sides etc. The method of observation requires considerable amount of training and skill. Psychologists who study the behaviour of small groups like communities, have prepared a number of schedules.
Observation schedule is not restricted only to study group situations. It is useful in studying individual behaviour also. A clinical psychologist observes how behaviour patterns are changing. Child psychologists use observation schedules to study development of behaviour processes like speech in children.