Final answer:
Margie utilizes a self-report inventory to measure participant anxiety, a method where participants provide personal assessments of their own psychological states. This type of measure is commonly used in psychological research but may be subject to biases such as social desirability.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Margie is studying performance anxiety and she measures anxiety by asking her research participants to rate their own anxiety, she is using a self-report inventory measure. This approach relies on individuals to provide personal assessments of their own psychological states. Self-report inventories are common in psychological research because they are straightforward to administer, and cost-effective, but they rely on honest self-reporting from participants. While this method can gather large amounts of data quickly, the possibility of social desirability bias, exaggerated responses, and intentional deception presents challenges to the validity of the data. Nonetheless, when well-designed, self-report inventories can provide valuable insight into subjects like anxiety, personality, and attitudes.