Surveys, Questionnaires, and Tests

[Ready for Fall 2026]

Modified: 2026-07-27 9:26 PM CDST

• Surveys are an efficient method for gathering large amounts of data from human subjects.
  • Surveys can be oral or they can be written.
  • In either case, they consist of a number of questions on a topic or topics.
  • They are probably the most common form of psychological researc in use.
• Surveys have been used on nearly every imaginable topic.
  • The MMPI-2, or Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory version 2, consists of nearly 500 questions.
  • After all the questions have been answered the raw scores are converted into 13 personality scales, including scales for random answering and scales for detecting subjects who answered overly "good" or overly "tough".
  • We will look more closely at the MMPI-2 near the end of this course.
• Opinion surveys are also good examples of this method.
  • Years ago, I bought a truck, later I received an eight-page survey from the manufacturer.
    • It asked about my interests, hobbies, and other such personal information.
    • Today manufacturers are more likely to send a link to a webpage than a paper survey.
  • Manufacturers and merchandisers use such information to sell their products more efficiently.
    • For example, mass mailings are expensive, but if the mailing list can be pared down and mailings sent only to people who are more likely to buy a product, considerable savings can result.
    • Email is cheaper still and you probably receive a lot of such email, especially after you buy a product or look at one on its webpage.
• The WAIS-R, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, is a test given orally to adults.
  • It contains scales which tap verbal and performance aspects of intelligence.
  • Unlike pencil-and-paper tests, the WAIS-R can only be administered to one person at a time.
  • Thus, in these kinds of tests, one trades the efficiency of mass testing for the sensitivity of individual testing.
  • One gains flexibility as the tester can detect when the testee might be close to knowing the answer and can give programmed hints