Error-Bias
The chosen error is the error that affects the accuracy of the participant’s self-report. This kind of error can result in flawed inference and uncertainty of measures (Ainsworth et al., 2012). This measurement error, in turn, results in biased estimates of certain behavior and may overestimate or weaken relationships between other variables and physical activity. In worst cases, the attenuation may reduce the ability of the research study to detect the variables’ real relationships. According to Passer (2020), in a self-report instrument, there can be a systematic error or random error, and both are attributable to reporting that is unreliable and natural variation in the behaviors over time. Random error is unpredictable when it comes to how it can influence the variation of the score. Systematic error can be caused by a mismatch between a questionnaire’s scope relative to a measure of reference selected to estimate the real score. According to Passer (2020), a systematic error can affect results by causing the measured scores of the mean to seem lower or higher than the real scores. Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you.
In a research study conducted by Junco (2013), this type of error manifested when the researcher found a considerable discrepancy between laptop-based software for monitoring and self-reports. He found that participants stated that they spent 145 minutes on Facebook when they actually spent 26 minutes on Facebook. This study excluded the use of Facebook on mobile phones as the participants may have used their phones less or more, knowing that they were being tracked (Ernala et al., 2020). The method used was an online survey which was sent to a random sample of college students through email in a link.
Random error can be minimized by standardization of the testing conditions through enhancement of study design to incorporate replicate measures (Ainsworth et al., 2012). Researchers can also reduce this error by including a sufficient number of participants to reduce the variability of the scores around the mean (Ainsworth et al., 2012). Systematic error, on the other hand, can be minimized by assuring reliable and valid instruments in the study population.
References
Ernala, S. K., Burke, M., Leavitt, A., & Ellison, N. B. (2020, April). How well do people report time spent on Facebook? An evaluation of established survey questions with recommendations. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-14).
Junco, R. (2013). Comparing actual and self-reported measures of Facebook use. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 626-631.
Passer, M.W. (2020). Research Methods: Concepts and Connections, Third Edition. New York: Macmillan International Higher Education.
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Question
P.300
This week, you learned about different sources of error/bias, including threats to internal validity, limitations in interpreting correlations, errors that affect the accuracy of participant self-report, and observer bias. Choose one possible source of error/bias and create a scenario that depicts this source of error/bias in action. Consider responding to posts from peers who chose a different source of error/bias than you did.
Please respond to the following:
What source of error/bias did you choose?
How does this type of error/bias affect study results?
Describe a research study in which this source of error/bias is present. What type of research methodology is being used?
What is one way that a researcher could try to reduce, or work around, this type of error/bias?
TXT.
This week, you learned about different sources of error/bias, including threats to internal validity, limitations in interpreting correlations, errors that affect the accuracy of participant self-report, and observer bias. Choose one possible source of error/bias and create a scenario that depicts this source of error/bias in action. Consider responding to posts from peers who chose a different source of error/bias than you did.
Please respond to the following:
What source of error/bias did you choose?
How does this type of error/bias affect study results?
Describe a research study in which this source of error/bias is present. What type of research methodology is being used?
What is one way that a researcher could try to reduce, or work around, this type of error/bias?