''Reals'', ''roles'', and demand features: A critical look at interview versus questionnaire measures of subjective states

Author(s): Hunt, H. T.

Journal/Book: Can Psychol-Psychol Can. 1996; 37: Rue Vincent Rd, Old Chelsea, Quebec City J0X 2N0, Canada. Canadian Psychol Assoc. 112-119.

Abstract: This study tests the hypothesis that questionnaire self-report measures of altered state experience are, by their very nature, affected by demand features (Orne, 1970), while interview self-report measures of subjective experience are more resistant to these vulnerabilities. It was specifically hypothesized that an interview measure would distinguish the experiences of actual meditators (''reals'') from their role-playing counterparts (''roles''), while a questionnaire measure, the PCI (Pekala, 1991), would fail to so distinguish. It was further hypothesized that the order in which subjects were to complete the subjective measures would influence their per intensity scores, but not the content of their interviews. These hypotheses were generally confirmed. Together with additional differences between the ''reals'' and ''roles'' groups, these findings support the greater validity of more ''subjective'' interview methods in research on qualitative states.

Note: Article HT Hunt, Brock Univ, Dept Psychol, St Catharines, on L2S 3A1, Canada

Keyword(s): CONSCIOUSNESS; ABSORPTION

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