Self-reports in psychology Essay Example

Self-reports in psychology Paper Using examples, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the use of self-reports in psychology.  One of the strengths of using self-reports as a method of data collection in psychology is that, if we are to believe the cognitive approach, this is the only way in which we can extract information about the way a person thinks. To clinically interview a person, such as in Ellis’ study on Rational Analysis as a means of treating an affective disorder can provide important information about the individual that otherwise cannot be seen, as the cognitive approach believes that mental processes, or cognitions, are hypothetical constructs and the only way we can establish reasons for behaviour is to ask the individual themselves. Another strength of self-reports in psychology is that you can collect both quantitative and qualitative data from them. With the use of closed questions whereby predetermined answers are provided (multiple choice questionnaires, e.g. a Likert scale), researchers can collect quantified measurements of the number of people who chose a certain answer, like in Holmes Rà ¤he’s study of Life Changing Events, where the majority of participants rated the bereavement of a spouse/partner as the hardest thing to adjust to on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), giving in a collective rating of 100/100. With open questions however, there is room for elaboration, meaning the participants can explain and illustrate reasons behind their decision to, for example, strongly agree/disagree with a statement the questionnaire makes, etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Self-reports in psychology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Self-reports in psychology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Self-reports in psychology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A weakness of the self report method however is the introduction of social desirability. In almost all studies on medical adherence there is a worry of social desirability affecting the answers. In Becker’s study into providing empirical evidence for the support of his Health Belief Model, he conducted self-reports on the mothers of asthmatic children and whether they stuck to their child’s prescribed regimens. It could be argued here that the mothers may have lied about their adherence to the regimen in order to make themselves appear a responsible mother who, regardless of interferences, gave their child their prescribed regimen of asthma medication. A further weakness of self-reports in psychology is that there is no real way of making self-reports ecologically valid as answering questionnaires about psychological research is not something humans regularly involve themselves with. In almost all studies, but particularly studies like Farrington, et al.’s into delinquent development, where ecological validity can be considered relatively high, the use of self-reports interviews during the participants development into an adult reduce the ecological validity as the participants had to be contacted and visited to conduct the interview, thus making self-reports’ ecological validity a limitation in psychology.

Essay Samples For Class - How Do You Know Which Ones Are Best?

Essay Samples For Class - How Do You Know Which Ones Are Best?If you're wondering about the best essay samples for class then you've come to the right place. People have different opinions on what they believe is the best way to write an essay and at times they can get angry because of their opinion. Well, I will present to you the very best examples for you to study.As I said before, there is no one method that is the best for every individual. What's best for someone else may not be good for you. The most important thing in studying for an essay is to remember that you're only trying to impress people. That means, if you're not an expert, then please don't be negative.The best way to study for an essay is to look up your college English teachers who will have some great tips on what they do when writing their own essays. I've compiled a list of the top 5 most influential writers who are used in my classes and one thing I did was to compare their techniques.One of the easiest method s to use is the Word Breaks method. This method has been proven by many people to be very effective. I think it's a must that you try this method out because when you write it will make a huge difference.So, as a British writer, as well as a college English teacher, I wanted to do something for my students so I did some research to find out exactly how effective it was. Now, the interesting thing is that the results were surprising! One of the most influential writers of all time used the Word Breaks method.I got a lot of emails from other English writers thanking me for helping them improve their essays. I have personally never used this method, but a lot of my students swear by it.Now, if you haven't done it yet, start thinking about where you are going to find examples. Look for resources which are written in a similar manner to what you want to create.