Context effects in social surveys : between instrument and respondent

Uhan, Samo (author), Hafner-Fink, Mitja (author)

The intention of this article is to examine the nature of cognitive representations that respondents create and utilise when making evaluative judgements in surveys. The following two hypothetical statements are the starting point of our analysis: (1) the order of items affects both the cognitive representation of the underlying dimension and the factor structure of the answers; (2) the different levels of cognitive sophistication of respondents affect their recognition of the concepts measured and the nature of their answers. A multidimensional scale of the concept of 'negative nationalismʼ was analysed. The concept was measured on two dimensions: xenophobia and protectionism. The research results partly confirm the hypothetical statements: the level of a respondentʼs education (as an indicator of their level of cognitive sophistication) influences their recognition of the concept measured, while other classical context characteristics (such as item order) did not. We can only confirm the possible effect of item order on the nature of their response, which results in the two-dimensionality or unidimensionality of the concept measured.

• Language: English
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2013
• Number of pages: Str. 233-248, 265
• Numbering: Letn. 50, št. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-74686
• UDC: 303.62:159.955
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3662024
• Publication date in RUL: 21.12.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

Prispevek se usmerja na vprašanje kognitivnih predstav, ki jih anketiranci oblikujejo in uporabljajo pri odgovarjanju na anketna vprašanja. V izhodišču analize sta dve hipotezi, in sicer: (1) učinek vrstnega reda vpliva - tako na kognitivne predstave o merjeni dimenziji kot tudi na faktorsko strukturo odgovorov; (2) stopnja kognitivne sofistikacije respondentov vpliva na prepoznavo merjenega koncepta in na način odgovarjanja. Predmet analize je koncept negativnega nacionalizma (ksenofobija, protekcionizem), merjen z večdimenzionalno lestvico. Rezultati delno potrjujejo hipotezi: stopnja respondentove izobrazbe (indikator kognitivne sofistikacije) vpliva na prepoznavo merjenega koncepta, na prepoznavo pa ne vplivajo klasični kontekstualni učinki (npr. vpliv vrstnega reda). Potrdimo lahko le možen vpliva vrstnega reda na način odgovarjanja, kar se kaže kot eno- ali dvodimenzionalnost merjenega koncepta.

• Keywords: ankete, kognitivne strukture