After conducting a pilot study on aerobic training and stress management in Year 11 students, a researcher found inconsistent results using a single data collection method.
Critically analyse which combination of data collection methods (observation, survey, and/or interview) would provide the most valid and reliable data for a full-scale investigation into this topic. Justify your response with specific examples of how each method would be implemented. (8 marks)
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Sample Answer
- A combination of surveys, observation, and selective interviews would provide the most comprehensive data, as each method addresses different aspects of the relationship between aerobic training and stress management.
- Surveys using validated tools like the Perceived Stress Scale should be administered pre-, mid-, and post-program to quantify changes in perceived stress levels, providing standardised numerical data that can be statistically analysed to identify trends across the participant group.
- Direct observation during standardized stress tests (such as timed cognitive tasks) before and after the training program would provide objective physiological data through measuring visible stress responses like sweating, fidgeting, or facial expressions, complementing the subjective survey data.
- Physiological measurements could be incorporated into observation sessions by recording vital signs like heart rate variability and blood pressure during stress tests, providing objective indicators of the body’s stress response that participants might not be consciously aware of.
- Semi-structured interviews with a representative sample of participants showing varying degrees of improvement would explore the mechanisms behind individual differences, potentially revealing why some students benefited more than others from the aerobic training.
- Interviews would also allow exploration of how participants applied stress management techniques learned through aerobic training to real-life situations outside the program, providing ecological validity that laboratory measurements cannot capture.
- This triangulated approach compensates for the weaknesses of each individual method – surveys might be affected by social desirability bias, observations might miss internal experiences, and interviews alone might not provide generalizable data.
- Implementation should include proper sequencing of methods, with surveys and observations conducted at consistent intervals throughout the program, and interviews conducted at the conclusion to prevent interview questions from influencing survey responses or observed behaviors.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer
- A combination of surveys, observation, and selective interviews would provide the most comprehensive data, as each method addresses different aspects of the relationship between aerobic training and stress management.
- Surveys using validated tools like the Perceived Stress Scale should be administered pre-, mid-, and post-program to quantify changes in perceived stress levels, providing standardised numerical data that can be statistically analysed to identify trends across the participant group.
- Direct observation during standardized stress tests (such as timed cognitive tasks) before and after the training program would provide objective physiological data through measuring visible stress responses like sweating, fidgeting, or facial expressions, complementing the subjective survey data.
- Physiological measurements could be incorporated into observation sessions by recording vital signs like heart rate variability and blood pressure during stress tests, providing objective indicators of the body’s stress response that participants might not be consciously aware of.
- Semi-structured interviews with a representative sample of participants showing varying degrees of improvement would explore the mechanisms behind individual differences, potentially revealing why some students benefited more than others from the aerobic training.
- Interviews would also allow exploration of how participants applied stress management techniques learned through aerobic training to real-life situations outside the program, providing ecological validity that laboratory measurements cannot capture.
- This triangulated approach compensates for the weaknesses of each individual method – surveys might be affected by social desirability bias, observations might miss internal experiences, and interviews alone might not provide generalizable data.
- Implementation should include proper sequencing of methods, with surveys and observations conducted at consistent intervals throughout the program, and interviews conducted at the conclusion to prevent interview questions from influencing survey responses or observed behaviors.