A student is designing an investigation to examine how a high-intensity interval training program affects recovery time and psychological wellbeing in adolescents.
Evaluate the strengths and limitations of using a combination of observation and interviews as data collection methods for this investigation. (6 marks)
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Sample Answer
- Observation provides objective measurements of recovery time through visible physiological indicators (like heart rate return to baseline and normalised breathing rate), allowing for precise quantitative data about physical adaptations to training.
- However, observation has limitations for measuring psychological wellbeing as many aspects of mental health are internal states that cannot be directly observed, potentially missing important data about participants’ experiences.
- Interviews provide rich, detailed information about participants’ psychological experiences during and after training, including unexpected benefits or challenges that might not be captured through predetermined measurement tools.
- Interviews can explore the relationship between observed physical recovery and perceived mental wellbeing, helping to establish connections between physiological and psychological adaptations to training.
- A significant limitation of interviews is potential response bias, as participants might provide answers they believe the researcher wants to hear rather than accurately reporting their experiences.
- Using both methods together creates complementary data sets that address each other’s weaknesses – observations provide objective measurements of recovery while interviews capture subjective experiences of wellbeing, creating a more comprehensive understanding of training effects.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer
- Observation provides objective measurements of recovery time through visible physiological indicators (like heart rate return to baseline and normalised breathing rate), allowing for precise quantitative data about physical adaptations to training.
- However, observation has limitations for measuring psychological wellbeing as many aspects of mental health are internal states that cannot be directly observed, potentially missing important data about participants’ experiences.
- Interviews provide rich, detailed information about participants’ psychological experiences during and after training, including unexpected benefits or challenges that might not be captured through predetermined measurement tools.
- Interviews can explore the relationship between observed physical recovery and perceived mental wellbeing, helping to establish connections between physiological and psychological adaptations to training.
- A significant limitation of interviews is potential response bias, as participants might provide answers they believe the researcher wants to hear rather than accurately reporting their experiences.
- Using both methods together creates complementary data sets that address each other’s weaknesses – observations provide objective measurements of recovery while interviews capture subjective experiences of wellbeing, creating a more comprehensive understanding of training effects.