Reliability and Validity

Instrument

Telephone

Description

            Telephone survey is where data is collected from a sample population by use of a standardized questionnaire. This method of survey involves the use of cellphones as a medium to contact respondents for opinion polling. Of all methods of survey, telephones are preferably used to maximize the response rates. Telephones can also be regarded as the most effective instruments to obtain data from the public because most people today can access phones. Additionally, it is also accurate that is; according to the study on telephone coverage that showed that over 97% of the population can be reachable by telephone (Leong & Austin, 2006). They are also quicker than face to face interviews in terms of time saving. Another advantage is that telephone survey is cheaper compared to other instruments of survey. The interviewer can also have time to explain and react to the responses. Nevertheless, personal observation is not possible.

            To ensure high quality data collection in survey research, responsive management has designed a facility that has put a training for telephone interviewers. These facilities are staffed with professional interviewers experienced in conducting computer assisted telephone interviews. They are also trained according to the standards of American survey research organization. Computer assisted telephone interviewing has put in place computing systems that help interviewers perform basic data collection (Alexander, Groves & Conference, 2001). Under this format, survey questions are displayed on the computer screens, the interviewer reads the questions to the interviewee and enters the responses by the keyboard.

Psychometric properties

            Reliability in survey refers to the degree to which different questions used in survey produce similar type of information each time they are used. Reliability confirms satisfaction. The mode of data collection used can affect the reliability of the information. Reliability in telephone survey can be influenced by the following factors; most cellphones have caller identification that allow people to view the number before responding to it, thus the respondent may change the mood of response after knowing the caller hence distorting the reliability of information (Leong & Austin, 2006). Different people use their cellphones differently; for instance there are those who turn off their phones at a certain time thus, they may not be reached by the time they are needed for interview. Additionally, people may be contacted while in places with less privacy and this can affect their survey response especially while answering more sensitive question, thus the reliability of the information may be affected. However, telephone survey is reliable because it is quick and the information is obtained there and then (Leong & Austin, 2006).

Validity refers to the degree to which a given survey measures exactly what it was supposed to measure. Validity in survey is the genuinity of the findings. Validity in telephone survey can be agreeable because of the large scale accessibility it can cover. Therefore, the information needed can be found depending on the number of people covered in the survey (Tourangeau, Rasinski & Rips, 2000). Another reason is that telephone interviews can be recorded and this can help the analyst to reassess and analyze the behavior and the attitude of the respondents so as to measure the reliability of the information, thus validity.

Psychometric properties of the instrument

            From the above information there is sufficient evidence on the reliability and validity of telephone survey in the field of psychology. This is because of large scale coverage of telephones.

references

Leong, F. T. L., & Austin, J. T. (2006). The psychology research handbook: A guide for graduate students and research assistants. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Alexander, C. H., Groves, R. M., & Conference. (2001). Telephone survey methodology. New York, NY [u.a.: Wiley.

Tourangeau, R., Rasinski, K. A., & Rips, L. J. (2000). The psychology of survey response. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press.