Data Methods Help Sheet
Social Psychology: Randy Schultz
Survey Measures
Questionnaire/Survey/Scale
Any self-report questionnaire, survey, or scale asks participants to rate the degree to which their attitudes are favorable or unfavorable on a likert-type scale (e.g., a scale of 1-
5 with 1 being unfavorable and 5 being favorable). They can either have a formal name
(e.g., Schultz Self-Esteem Scale) and is cited (Schultz, 1999) or they can be authorgenerated (i.e., not cited or referenced). Also, the participant marks down the actual answers to the items on the questionnaire, survey, or scale.
Interview
An interview is a list of questions orally asked by an interviewer in an unstructured or structured format. The researcher (or interviewer) marks down the answers to the questions, not the participant.
Test
Tests are designed to measure the intelligence level, personality traits, or abilities of individuals regarding their suitability for a particular job or potential ability to achieve success in school, or a situation that would make best use of their talents. (e.g., SAT,
ACT, Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, Stanford-Binet Intelligence test, etc.).
Tests are generally published and cited.
Inventory
An inventory is a type of psychological test that is composed of a series of scales often used in personality and career assessment. This type of self-report test is either presented in a paper-and-pencil format or administered on a computer that is scored to yield a profile of the particular traits or characteristics that make up the person’s personality.
Inventories are usually published and cited (e.g., Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality
Inventory-II [MMPI-II]; Strong Interest Inventory [a career interest inventory].
Behavioral Measures
Direct Observation
The researcher collects behavioral data by directly observing the participants. The participants may be aware (obtrusive measurement) or may not be aware (unobtrusive measurement) they are being observed. Obtrusive direct behavioral measurement is when participants realize they are being observed by the researcher as they are behaving. Unobtrusive direct behavioral measurement is when a researcher directly observes a participant’s behavior in the lab or in their natural setting, but the participants are unaware they are being observed (e.g., observing through a one-way mirror, watching video tapes of participants’ behavior, having a confederate [i.e., a researcher’s helper] observe the participants’ behavior).
Laboratory Observation : Any direct observation of unnaturally occurring events of people in a controlled, lab setting with the intervention on the part of the observer (e.g., observing people’s driving reaction behavior while under the influence of alcohol in a driving simulator). Generally, the participants being observed are aware that they are

being observed by the researcher, but even if they are aware of the researcher observing them, they may not be aware of what actual behavior the observer is observing.
Naturalistic Observation : Any direct observation of naturally occurring events of people in their natural setting without any intervention on the part of the observer (e.g., a researcher observing students’ behavior in their natural classroom setting, while sitting quietly at the back of the room). Although the researcher tries to avoid disrupting any portion of the participants’ natural environment while observing, the participants being observed still may be aware that they are being observed by the researcher. Once again, even if they are aware of being observed by the researcher, they may not be aware of what actual behavior the observer is observing.
Indirect Observation
One type of indirect observation is when t he researcher collects data of physical traces of participant behavior without directly observing the participants as they behaved. Thus, since the participants are unaware of any behavior that was measured, indirect observation is considered unobtrusive measurement (e.g., measuring college football fans’ drinking behavior by counting the number of empty beer and alcohol cans/bottles leftover in the parking areas of where fans tailgate).
Another type of indirect (and unobtrusive) observation pertains to how the researcher measures participants’ past behavior by collecting data from official records or documents that already exist (this type is also known as archival measures). Since this behavioral data is collected unobtrusively by the researcher after the participant’s behavior has been completed (i.e., archival data), participants are not aware that their past behaviors were assessed. For example, if a researcher is interested in evaluating the effectiveness of a program to reduce schoolchildren’s disruptive classroom behaviors, researchers would examine school records (e.g., student suspensions, trips to the principal’s office) before and after the program was implemented. Another example of this type is when a researcher examines police records to measure adolescent crime behavior during and after the school year, by collecting data of the number of times adolescents were arrested during the summer break and during the school year.
Physiological Measures
The researcher assesses the physiological responses to what people are experiencing. A specialized machine is used to measure a specific physiological or body response such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, GSR (galvanic skin response), PET or CAT scans (measures of brain activity or anatomy), blood sugar, dopamine (neurotransmitter) levels, just to name a few.