Final answer:
The accuracy of self-report surveys can be compromised by response bias, selection bias, and survey design issues such as question wording and interviewer bias, all of which need careful consideration to ensure reliable results.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are several issues that can affect the accuracy of self-report surveys. First, the validity of data is heavily reliant on the respondents' honesty. People might provide inaccurate responses due to intentional lying, misremembering, or even social desirability bias, where they answer questions in a way that makes them appear better to others. This can lead to response bias, affecting the survey's outcome.
Second, self-selected samples, such as those in internet surveys, can suffer from selection bias. This occurs when the participants who opt to respond are not a representative sample of the population, thereby skewing the results. Furthermore, multiple responses from the same individual can distort the data, which is a common issue with online polls that lack mechanisms to prevent multiple submissions.
Third, survey design elements such as question wording, interviewer bias, and the survey administration method can also lead to inaccuracies. Small changes in how a question is phrased can significantly alter the responses, and the characteristics of the interviewer, such as their social class or gender, may influence the answers provided. Ensuring neutral language and minimising interviewer influence are critical for reducing measurement error.
In summary, to achieve more accurate survey results, these factors must be carefully considered and mitigated during the survey design and administration process.