What is a disadvantage of using surveys as a research method?

Using surveys as a research method does come with certain disadvantages, one of which is that participants may provide socially desirable responses. This phenomenon occurs when individuals answer questions in a manner they believe will be viewed favorably by others rather than how they truly feel or behave. This can lead to biased results, as the data collected may not accurately reflect the participants' true opinions, experiences, or behaviors. For instance, if a survey asks about sensitive topics such as substance use or political beliefs, respondents may underreport negative behaviors or overreport positive ones due to social pressure or the desire to conform to perceived norms.

The other options, while they present potential issues with surveys, do not capture the specific bias related to how respondents might manipulate their answers to align with societal expectations. The time required to gather data, the complexity of analysis, or the reach to a wide audience do not directly address the issue of response bias influenced by social desirability.