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Empirical methods > 04 Survey research 1/2 > Flashcards

04 Survey research 1/2 Flashcards

1
Q

What is a survey?

A

Survey: A cross-sectional design in relation to which data are collected predominantly by questionaire or by structured interview on more than one case and at a single point in time to collect a body of quantitative data

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2
Q

What are the two forms of information in a survey?

A

Forms of information:
- Self reports: (respondent) –>individuals answer for themselves
- Key informant reports (“informant) –>one or a few answers for a larger propulation

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3
Q

What is the typical survey process?

A

1.Selection of research variables
2.Selection of survey method
3.Questionaire design
4.Data collection
5.Measurement evaluation
6.Data analysis

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4
Q

What is the psychology of survey response?

A
  • Participants typically develop attitudes when answering a survey
  • Survey questions trigger a cognitive process of response generation
  1. Comprehension (Attent survey, deduce the survey´s content)
  2. Retrieval (Memory search, long-term information enters short-term infomation)
  3. Judgement: (Combination of info and formation judgement)
  4. Response selection(Map judgement on offered response categories)
  5. Response reporting (provide answer)
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5
Q

What are the two measurement error of a survey?

A

random error:
- Expected value equal 0
- has no correlation with systematic error or true value
- threat to measureent reliability
–>(Hit the area, but point spread across whole area)

systematic error:
- expected value not equal 0
- often assumed no correlation with true value
- threat to measurement validity
(points are not on the area at all)

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6
Q

When do systematic error generally happen?

A

systematic errors happen when there are a lot of factors that influence the measurement results,

–>i.e, such as social desirability that could lead to inflated answers

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7
Q

What is the impact of the random error measurement on obersved correlationas between variables? (correlatiion coefficient)

A

Random error:
- low reliability, leads to a high variance random error
–>only denominator, decrease correlation coefficent

Random errors, have no impact on the sign of the correlation
- lead to underestimation of correlation
- No change of the sign of the correlation

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8
Q

What is the impact of the systematic error measurement on obersved correlationas between variables? (correlatiion coefficient)

A

Systematic error:
- low validity, lead to high covariance of systematic error and high variance systematic error
–>both numerator and denominator:

Impact of systematic error is not predictable:
- Correlations between systematic error components can dishort the strength as well as the sign of the true correlation
–>high covariance: inflate (increase) correlation
–>low covariance: lowers correlation and eventuall flips the sign of the correlaton efficient

  • IN the abscence of such correlations: systematic measurement error has the same consequences as random error
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9
Q

WWhat are the sources of systematic errors in survey research?
(Common method bias, key informant bias, non-response bias)

A

Common method bias: Distortion of samples covariance structure that arises due to the fact that the same data source was used for measuring both IV and DV within a certain dependence structure

Key informant bias: Distortion of samples covariance structure that arises due to the fact that the data collection has taken place through key informants (provide info about larger social unit)

Non-response bias: Distortion of samples covariance structure that arises due to the fact that the structure of the effective sample, does not coincide with the structure of the original sample

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10
Q

WWhat are the sources of systematic errors in survey research?
(Social desirability, response patterns)

A

Social desirability: Distortion of samples covariance structure that arises due to the fact that the tendency of respondents to reply in a manner thatt will be viewed favorably by others –>i.e. over-reporting goood behavior, undereporting bad behavior

Response patterns: Distortion of samples covariance structure that arises due to the fact that the respondents, regardless of the question content, favor certain response categories
a) Tendency to agree
b) tendency to Cross-middle points
c) tendency to give extreme responses

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11
Q

What are the four relevant forms of construct validity?

A
  • Predictive validity (demonstrate that question/scale has similar properties as expected
  • Content validity/face validity: check if used items actually capture the right concept
  • Convergent validity: items that capture same construct, have high relationships
  • Discriminant validity: items that are suppose to measure different, have weak relationships
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12
Q

What are the two reliability checks?

A
  • reliability of the complete scale (construct reliability)
  • reliability of single items (indicator reliability)
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13
Q

What are the methods of first generation?

A
  • Cronbach´s alpha and explaine variance in exploratory factor analysis at construc level
  • Item-to-total correlation and factor loading in exploratory factor analysis at item level
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14
Q

What are the methods of second generaton?

A
  • Factor reliability and averrage variance explained at construct level
  • Indicator reliability at indicator level (not relevant)
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15
Q

What is cronbach´s alpha?

A

Issue not possible to measure error variance –>Cronbachs alpha

Idea: Variance shared by the items reflects the variance of the phenomenon

Cronbach´s alpha: how well survey items hang together and measure a commong underlying construct consistently

–>threshold: >70 –>that items good

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16
Q

What is the interpretation of cronbach´s alpha?

A
  • alpha correspnds to the correlation of the scale with an alternative scale with the same number of items
  • alpha corresponds to the correlation of the scale with true score
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17
Q

What is reliability?

A

Reliability: refers to the degree to which the observed variable measures the true value and i error free

–>Basic idea: the larger the variance of the true variable compared to the overall variance, the higher the reliability

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18
Q

What is the issue with cronbach´s alpha?

A

issue: Cronbachs alpha does not provide any diagnostic information at the item level

–>Solution: Item-to-total correllation:
- assess the relationship between individual items and the total score of the scale.
- It provides insights into how well each item correlates with the overall score of the scale

19
Q

Briefly explain two options to increase measurement reliability in this situation? (Cronbachs alpha, item to toal correlation)

A
  • Add further items to the scale (can potentially increase reliability depends on the item added
  • Eliminate Item 5 , correlations between item 5 and the other items are dangeroulsly low
20
Q

Explain how a situation can arise in which a high Alpha is observed, even though the items do not validly measure the underlying construct?

A

When the scales measures something else: reliability does not automatically lead to validity, it is a necessary but not sufficient condition

21
Q

What is the process of questionnaire design?

A
  • Decision about the survey content
  • Decision about the question content
  • Decision about the question format
  • Decision about the question wording
  • Decision about the question sequence
  • Decision about the survey layout
  • Pretest of the questionaire
22
Q

Question content: what are guidelines for scale development?

A

Guidelines for scale development:
– Ideally: four to six items
– Use the same expressions for the same issues
– Point out the necessity of repeating similar questions
– The entire width of the phenomenon should be covered by items (try to achieve representativeness

23
Q

What are the two formats possible in the decision about the question format?

A

open-ended vs. closed questions

Open-ended: respondents can respond in any way they want

Closed-questions: respondents choose an answer from a given list

24
Q

What are the advantages of open-ended questions?

A
  • participants can answer in their own way
  • allows for unusual answers
  • little prior knowledge of researcher necessary
25
Q

What are the disadvantages of open-ended questions?

A
  • quantification difficult
  • larger effort on the part of respondent needed, especially in the case of written surveys
26
Q

What are the advantages of closed questions?

A
  • straightforward quantification
  • simple to compare
  • support in interpretation of questions
  • allow for time-efficient question
    “batteries”
27
Q

What are the disadvantages of closed questions?

A
  • loss of spontaneity
  • completeness of answer categories often hard to achieve
28
Q

What are the 3 objectives in question wording?

A

Three objectives:
- Simplicity
- Unambiguousness
- Neutrality

29
Q

Question wording how achieving simplicity?

A

Rules for achieving simplicity:
– Short sentences (max. 15 words)
– No pyramiding (e.g., through relative clauses)
– Avoid negations
– Avoid foreign words, if possible
– Translate scientific or technical expressions in everyday language
– Computations should be done by the researcher!
– Avoid unnecessary variations in the format and structure of the questions

30
Q

Question wording how achieving unambiguousness?

A

Instructions for achieving unambiguousness:
– Avoid universal expressions (e.g., “all”, “always”)
– Avoid vague quantifiers (e.g., “often”, “many”)
– Separate the definition and the question
– Clearly define focal concepts
– Clearly define the time span to which the question relates
– Refer to only one issue
– Use the same words for the same issue

31
Q

Question wording how achieving neutrality?

A

Instructions for achieving neutrality:
- Avoid suggestive formulations
- No anticipation of answers (e.g., “Do you also agree?”)
- Avoid loaded words

32
Q

Question sequence, what iis importat about the cognitive process in survey response?

A

Survey Response as Cognitive Process:
- Attitudes are developed instantly during survey responses.
- Early questions activate information for later questions (potentially)
- Involves assimilation and contrasting processes.

33
Q

What is the typical effect of question sequence in survey about customer satisfaction?

A

Customer Satisfaction Surveys:

  • Total satisfaction measured first leads to emotional dominance
  • Measured last leads to cognitive dominance (depends on prior answers).

Order preference depends on product involvement:
- Low involvement: Measure satisfaction first.
- High involvement: Measure satisfaction last.

34
Q

What os the solution in question sequence to avoid biases?

A

Solutions to Biases:
- Randomize question order.
- Use “buffer” questions strategically.

Carfully design the sequence:
- Simple interesting openers, from general to specific
- demographics at the end, sensitive questions later.
- For high relevance of “demand effects,” assess dependent variable before the independent variable.

35
Q

Why is the question layout a critical sucess factor?

A

Layout of questionnaire as critical success factor:
- “should look as sharp as your résumé”
- Signals interest for the topic
- Signals researcher’s trustworthiness (important in the case of confidential questions)
- Facilitates completion of the questionnair

36
Q

What are elements of a careful layout?

A

Elements of a careful layout:
– Accuracy
– Clear and simple design
– Clear identification of researcher and survey objective
– High-quality paper and print (if printed)

37
Q

how to achieve the impression of short processing time?

A

Create the impression of short processing time:
– Do not order questions too densely
– Use readable letter size
– Clear instructions
– Clear visualization of the question flow

38
Q

What is a pretest?

A

Pretest: Testing of the questionnaire with selected / representative members of the sample

39
Q

What are the goals of a pretest?

A

Goals:
- Identification of ambiguous questions and problems of understanding
- Check for the completeness of answer categories
- Identification of potential information gaps among respondents
- Check the required time for completing the questionnaire
- First indication of validity and reliability of the measuremen

40
Q

What are the methods of pretests?

A

Methods:
– Debriefing: discussion after answering
– Protocol method: discussion during answering
– Think-aloud method: participants express all their thoughts while filling out the questionnaire
–>No best method

41
Q

What are the two methods of survey data collection?

A

Population of interest:

1.Census (complete population

2.Sample (out of the population)

42
Q

What are the two sampling methods?

A

1.Nonprobability sampling
2.Random selection (probability sampling)

43
Q

What are the different methods of random selection (probability samplng)

A
  • Simple random sampling: randomly select 10% out of all
  • Stratified sampling: divide in two groups (A) and (B) and select 10% from each
  • Cluster sampling: Create clusters consisting of A and B, that differ between
  • Multi-stage sampling: combination of different methods
44
Q

What are the methods of Nonprobability sampling?

A
  • Convenience sampling: contact people most convenient (family, friends)
  • Quota sampling: goal reach quota=50%, quota needs to be achieved –>difference to straitified)
  • Snowball sampling: ask suitable people to spread the survey wiithin thier network
  • Sampling based on typicality: specifc targets are selectes, select individually who participates

Empirical methods (8 decks)

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