Sophie Andersen
Introduction
Let’s be honest; everyone has fallen into the rabbit hole of taking Buzzfeed quizzes to waste time. What could possibly be more important than knowing which animal you were in your past life? As ridiculous as that may sound, scientists are actually using similar online quizzes and surveys to collect psychological data. In the article How online studies are transforming psychology research by Amber Dance, she talks about how online tests and surveys have made it easier for scientists to do research. We are always trying to learn more about who we are, why we think the way we do, and how our brains work. People are much more likely to take an online test or survey than anything in person because it simply takes less effort. Through this method, scientists are able to collect more data than ever while using fewer resources and time. However, this new ideology does not come without faults. Since these tests and surveys are fully online, there is no way of knowing whether the participant is being honest about their opinions or identity. Therefore, scientists have to take this into consideration when logging data because it isn’t exactly the most reliable. As Samuel Gosling from the University of Texas said, “there is no perfect method.” Although, there are some ways to improve accuracy by focusing on the right audience.
The Imperfect Method
Picking the right “test subjects” is key in collecting accurate data. Different people, views, and lifestyles generate different opinions, which means that some people fit more into the target audience than others. For example, if you publish a questionnaire focused on poverty and homelessness, you’re not looking for a response from Elon Musk for the most accurate data. This is a difficult problem to fix because there is no “filter” to prevent unqualified participants from affecting the results. The article talks about how young or retired people from “WEIRD” societies, which stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic, are easy targets for research. This often leads to a gap in knowledge of people from 20 to 65 from different viewpoints and classes. However, sometimes it doesn’t matter who takes the test. If scientists publish a survey for eyesight, memory, or how many people owned a goldfish as their first pet, political views or social status doesn’t play a role in the results.
These online psychology tests can vary in purpose. For one example, there was a study done on how human cognitive abilities evolve throughout our lives. This study would require a diverse audience with a range of classes, races, ages, and education levels. Such a broad audience could never fit in a laboratory, so the solution is to perform this experiment online. This allowed scientists to accumulate almost 50,000 participants. This study found that most abilities, like processing speed, peak in the late teens, while vocabulary tends to peak around middle age. Scientists later confirmed these results using a smaller in-person group, which came up with ultimately the same data.
Is this new way of research actually helpful despite all of these unknown factors? If you think about it, it could go both ways. To start with the positives, more people are participating than ever before from different locations and racial backgrounds. Results have shown a rise in male participants from in-person, 29%, to online, 43%. There were also more diverse volunteers online than in-person studies with 23% as opposed to 20%. However, the percentage is still unfortunately far lower for African Americans and Latinos. On a good note, online samples from outside the United States have skyrocketed because of these online tests.
Fast and efficient research sounds great in theory, but also comes with difficulty. As simple as it may sound, a Scientists job goes far beyond simply publishing a survey. Some of the first challenges Scientists come across are marketing and competition. When people are given the option to either take a survey that will determine your astrology sign based on your McDonalds order or a standard personality test, they’re going to pick the first option. Finding the right title for your survey is key to attracting participants. For example, researchers should change “Standard Personality Test” to “All About You, A Guide to Your Personality.” It is also important to publish these surveys on the same platform as non-scientific surveys. This “tricks” participants into trying a scientific test and will generate more results. Another strategy that entices more participants is anonymous participation options. For example, a study focused on the effects of childhood trauma like sexual abuse has affected life as adults. Where this is understandably a difficult subject, it would make sense if participation was low. However, since this study allowed anonymous participation, it collected over 30,000 participants. People tend to feel much more comfortable telling their story or being honest when they know no one can judge them; anonymous surveys give them this comfort. Unfortunately, anonymous-style surveys also can leave room for error. Since the identity of the participant is hidden, being behind a screen makes it that much easier for them to get away with lying. With the ability to hide behind a screen and have virtually no identity, people are free to lie, whereas in the laboratory they will most likely be caught.
Another issue scientists can run into is breaking tradition. Psychologists end up giving up a lot of control and their traditional ways. Many feel that when participants are being physically watched by a research assistant they are more likely to take the survey seriously. To help combat this issue, researchers have found ways to ensure careful participation, like “catch trials.” A catch trial is a “dumb” question psychologists add to their surveys that anyone who is paying any attention should be able to recognize. Another strategy they use is timing participant responses. This recognizes faulty survey participants like quick Robot programs and slow, less focused people. Since the number of participants is so high when using the online approach, researchers can filter out the faulty results to ensure integrity.
Is it Worth it?
Technology has made a huge impact on every industry; even psychology. It has assisted researchers by collecting more data, reaching a broad audience, and making these surveys more intriguing for the younger population. These online surveys offer the opportunity to influence research in a way that is more comfortable for participants. Although “there is no perfect method,”(Samuel Gosling) researchers are pushing to improve this new strategy and number of participants.
Sources
News Feature: How online studies are transforming psychology research, Amber Dance, November 24, 2015, 112 (47) 1499-14401