Form effect in the measurement of feeling states

This study investigates the relation between the responses given to survey items and the manner in which those items are given. Results are based on responses of a random sample of 1522 American adults to 202 items expressing social life feelings (SLFs). SLF items were selected from a domain of over 1000 such items appearing in over 100 scales used in American sociology during the last 50 years. Three different methods of administration were used: self-administration, interview, and card-sort. Each method was applied to each item about 500 times, and to each respondent approximately 67 times. The analysis consisted of comparing mean scores and missing response rates for items across methods, investigating the characteristics of items subject to form effects, investigating the possibility that form effects were spurious and might disappear after controlling on background of respondent, and investigating the presence of form effects in summary scale scores based on several or more items. Results indicate that for most items, patterns of responding and techniques of testing were statistically independent.     

The interviewer effect when there is an education gap with the respondent: Evidence from a survey on biotechnology in Taiwan

Survey methodologists are concerned that the interviewer’s characteristics may affect respondents’ answers. This paper investigates how the interviewer’s education interacts with the respondent’s perceptions and in turn affects the latter’s responses to hard questions in a biotechnology survey in Taiwan. Our results indicate that respondents with little education (junior high school or below) react to highly-educated interviewers by giving more substantive answers to both knowledge questions and attitude questions. These findings are consistent with findings in the literature on social psychology whereby the respondents can infer from the interviewer’s appearance and behavior whether the latter seems more knowledgeable than themselves, and that in interacting with someone with much more education, the one with little education senses his or her inferiority and tries to conform to the perceived expectations.     

Are we keeping the people who used to stay? Changes in correlates of panel survey attrition over time

As survey response rates decline, correlates of survey participation may also be changing. Panel studies provide an opportunity to study a rich set of correlates of panel attrition over time. We look at changes in attrition rates in the American National Election Studies from 1964 to 2004, a repeated panel survey with a two-wave pre-post election design implemented over multiple decades. We examine changes in attrition rates by three groups of variables: sociodemographic and ecological characteristics of the respondent and household, party affiliation and political and social attitudes recorded at the first interview, and paradata about the first wave interview. We find relatively little overall change in the pre-post election panel attrition rates, but important changes in demographic correlates of panel attrition over time. We also examine contact and cooperation rates from 1988 to 2004.     

冷战后国际移民趋势及影响分析

冷战后,发达国家和地区,如美国和欧洲仍是移民的重要目的国,但是冷战后格局的变化和国际政治新特点的出现,为国际移民活动提供了新的动因。国际移民在促进接纳国经济发展的同时,也给移民接纳国带来了严重的社会问题,而且还对国家间关系造成重大影响。在全球化与移民问题相互作用的过程中,为减少和消除移民问题带来的负面影响,国际社会需加强合作和研究。     

The quality and comparability of child care data in U.S. surveys

This paper examines the quality and comparability of child care data obtained from eight waves of data from four nationally representative data sources: the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1986 and 1988), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990), the National Child Care Survey, and the National Survey of Families and Households. We examine whether different study designs and survey techniques for asking questions about child care produce similar results on both the levels and determinants of child care. We identified four main sources of difference in the data sets that could impact the quality and comparability of child care research: when the interview is conducted; screening questions used to determine who is asked about child care; the population of parents and children represented in the survey; and the way child care questions are asked. Our findings indicate that summer interviews and screening on mother's work status produce the largest differences in the levels and effects of child care across these studies. Even after removing the effects of summer interviews and screening questions, however, substantial differences exist across the studies.     

Bridging the gap: Incorporating qualitative data into quantitative analyses

This paper describes a technique that allows a researcher to incorporate qualitative data from open-ended survey questions into a quantitative analysis. It involves storing the quantitative and qualitative data in two separate files using the same respondent identification number in each. These two files are then linked, via this identification number. This procedure allows one to: access relevant verbatim quotes, identify themes and subthemes, deal with ambiguous answers, interpret the quantitative findings, do deviant case analyses, and identify some types of coding errors. While the intent is for this to be used with large scale survey data, it can also be used in semistructured interviews. The advantage of this technique is that it facilitates the use of qualitative data using programs such as SPSS and SAS that are familiar to most quantitative researchers, without having to learn new skills.     

Opinions toward suicide: Cross-national evaluation of cultural and religious effects on individuals

This study evaluates the role that religious and cultural values have on individual opinions toward suicide worldwide. Using multilevel modeling with data from the fourth wave of the World Values Survey (42,299 individuals in 43 countries), the current study is designed to analyze the effect of individual (i.e., micro-level), and country (i.e., macro-level) characteristics on opinions toward suicide. Specifically, cultural values, religious affiliation, religious importance, and church attendance are analyzed at both the individual and country levels to evaluate the impact of individual and country level effects on opinions toward suicide. The results show that individual opinions toward suicide are influenced by individual belief as well as by the cultural and religious characteristics of their country. The results suggest that evaluation of individual opinions toward controversial behavior should account for the unique and cross-interaction effects of micro- and macro-level effects.     

How the macroeconomic context impacts on attitudes to immigration: Evidence from within-country variation

This study investigates the effects of the macroeconomic context on attitudes to immigration. Earlier studies do in some cases not provide significant empirical support for the existence of important such effects. In this article it is argued that this lack of consistent evidence is mainly due to the cross-national setup of these studies being vulnerable to estimation bias caused by country-specific factors. The present study instead analyzes attitude variation within countries over time. The results provide firm empirical support in favor of macroeconomic variation importantly affecting attitudes to immigration. As an illustration, the estimates indicate that the number of individuals in the average European country in 2012 who were against all immigration from poorer countries outside Europe was 40% higher than it would have been if macroeconomic conditions in that year had been as good as they were in 2006.     

Implicit and explicit interethnic attitudes and ethnic discrimination in hiring

We study effects of explicit and implicit interethnic attitudes on ethnic discrimination in hiring. Unlike explicit attitudes, implicit attitudes are characterised by reduced controllability, awareness or intention. Effects of implicit interethnic attitudes on ethnic discrimination in the labour market remain under-researched. Moreover, previous experiments on the effects of explicit interethnic attitudes on discrimination have important drawbacks. We use data from a laboratory experiment (n = 272) consisting of an Implicit Association Test, a questionnaire and a recruitment test in which participants reviewed résumés representing fictitious applicants who varied regarding ethnicity, gender, education and work experience. Participants graded applicants and selected applicants for an interview. Results show that only explicit interethnic attitudes affect discrimination in grades, but both explicit and implicit interethnic attitudes increase discrimination in selection.     

Should we trust survey data? Assessing response simplification and data fabrication

While many factors, such as unit- and item nonresponse, threaten data quality, we focus on data contamination that arises primarily from task simplification processes. We argue that such processes can occur at two levels. First, respondents themselves may engage in various response strategies that minimize their time and effort in completing the survey. Second, interviewers and other employees of the research institute might take various shortcuts to reduce their time and/or to fulfill the requirements of their contracts; in the simplest form this can be done via copy-and-paste procedures.This paper examines the cross-national quality of the reports from principals of schools participating in the 2009 PISA. We introduce two measures of data quality to document that extreme response simplification characterizes the behavior of substantial numbers of school principals in numerous countries. Additionally, we discovered strong evidence of data fabrication in several countries.     

专业四级考试与英语专业学生自主学习能力发展的相关性研究

考试是学校教育中的一个重要环节,而培养学生的自主学习能力是实施教育的重要目标。通过问卷调查和访谈的形式,调查英语专业四级考试对英语专业学生自主学习能力发展的影响。结果发现：专业四级考试对英语专业学生的自主学习有较大的影响,是促使学生自主学习的动机之一,考前和考后的自主学习认识基本一致,考后的自主学习行为明显弱于考前,考前的自主学习动机主要是成绩动机和个人发展动机,考后主要为文化动机和个人发展动机。     

朋友关系与儿童分享行为

采用问卷法与访谈法,考察小学一、三、五年级共128名7—11岁儿童在不同朋友关系条件下分享行为的发展特点,并分析了不同朋友关系条件下儿童分享的内部动机。结果发现:(1)一至五年级儿童无论是朋友间还是非朋友间的分享均随年龄的增长呈下降趋势,具体表现为好朋友之间的分享高于非好朋友之间的分享;(2)一至五年级儿童同好朋友的分享行为大多出自个人功利的动机,同不是好朋友的分享行为大多出自遵守规则的动机;(3)同好朋友分享时,小学儿童考虑个人利益的分享动机显著高于非个人利益的分享动机;同不是好朋友分享时,儿童考虑利己与否没有差异。     

Eyes on the Block: Measuring Urban Physical Disorder Through In-Person Observation

In this paper, we present results from measuring physical disorder in Los Angeles neighborhoods. Disorder measures came from structured observations conducted by trained field interviewers. We examine inter-rater reliability of disorder measures in depth. We assess the effects of observation conditions on the reliability of reporting. Finally, we examine the relationships between disorder, other indicators of neighborhood status, and selected individual outcomes.Our results indicate that there is considerable variation in the level of agreement among independent observations across items, although overall agreement is moderate to high. Durable indicators of disorder provide the most reliable measures of neighborhood conditions. Circumstances of observation have statistically significant effects on the observers’ perceived level of disorder. Physical disorder is significantly related to other indicators of neighborhood status, and to children’s reading and behavior development.This result suggests a need for further research into the effects of neighborhood disorder on children.     

Measuring time use in surveys - Concordance of survey and experience sampling measures

It is still unclear to what extent time allocation retrospectively reported in questionnaires reflects people’s actual behavior. Addressing this research gap, we analyze the congruence of time use information assessed through retrospective questionnaires and through experience sampling methodology. Participants completed standard survey questions on time allocation. In addition, a mobile-phone-based experience sampling technology obtained snapshots of, on average, 54 momentary activities in which respondents participated while pursuing their normal daily routines.Results indicate that the associations between standard survey questions and experience sampling methods are quite substantial for long-lasting and externally structured activities, such as paid work. In contrast, associations between survey and experience sampling methods are somewhat weaker for less externally structured, short-term and infrequent activities, such as errands, housework, and leisure. However, further research is required to elucidate which method (experience sampling method or survey questions) results in more reliable and valid measures for short-term and sporadic activities.     

Context effects and the temporal stability of stated preferences

In stated preference studies it is assumed that individuals' answers reflect true preferences and are stable over time. We test these two assumptions of validity and reliability using as an example a choice experiment study on ethical consumption that measures preferences for a Peace Product jointly produced by Israeli and Palestinian producers as well as for organic products. In a web survey conducted in Germany, we investigate the validity assumption by manipulating the question context and presenting one group of respondents with questions on anti-Semitic and anti-Arabic attitudes before the choice tasks, and presenting another group with these questions after the choice tasks. In order to test the assumption of temporal stability, the same experimental set-up was repeated in a second survey based on a new sample ten months after the first. However, prior to the second survey an external event, a major violent dispute between Israelis and the Palestinians occurred. Overall, we find evidence for a context effect but not for temporal instability. In both surveys, the placement of the attitudinal questions before the choice tasks has a positive effect on the valuation of products from Israel, Palestinian products and the Peace Product (i.e. a directional context effect). The respondents seem to act according to an anti-discrimination norm. In line with this reasoning, we find an attention shift caused by the attitudinal questions. Organic products are valued much less positively if discriminatory attitudes are surveyed before the choice tasks. Furthermore, despite the violent dispute, stated preferences are very stable over time. This indicates high reliability of stated preference studies and encourages the use of study results by private and public decision makers.     

大学生就业认知评价问卷的编制

目的编制大学生就业认知评价问卷。方法参考国内外相关的研究文献,结合访谈及问卷调查,编制了大学生就业认知评价问卷,并系统分析了问卷的信效度。结果探索性因素分析显示问卷适合提取三个因子,验证性因素分析表明数据与模型的拟合度较好。结论大学生就业认知评价问卷具有较好的信度和效度。     

The effect of sociodemographic (mis)match between interviewers and respondents on unit and item nonresponse in Belgium

Interviewer characteristics affect nonresponse and measurement errors in face-to-face surveys. Some studies have shown that mismatched sociodemographic characteristics – for example gender – affect people's behavior when interacting with an interviewer at the door and during the survey interview, resulting in more nonresponse. We investigate the effect of sociodemographic (mis)matching on nonresponse in two successive rounds of the European Social Survey in Belgium. As such, we replicate the analyses of the effect of (mis)matching gender and age on unit nonresponse on the one hand, and of gender, age and education level (mis)matching on item nonresponse on the other hand. Recurring effects of sociodemographic (mis)match are found for both unit and item nonresponse.     

2012-2018年俄罗斯副博士人才培养的反思与变革

俄罗斯副博士学位有别于其他国家的学位设置，近年来在俄罗斯副博士人才培养过程中，副博士研究生学位申请比例逐年降低，由于学术不端行为被剥夺副博士学位的人数逐年增多。2012年以来俄国内针对副博士人才培养体系、副博士学位授予及追责采取了一系列改革措施，俄罗斯副博士人才培养体系和内容呈现新的特点。通过比较研究俄罗斯副博士人才培养新内容、改革新举措，期望研究结果对改进和完善我国博士人才培养模式和内容，提供一定的参考与启迪。     

农村中小学体育发展现状研究——以河南省为例

运用文献法、问卷调查法、访谈法和数理统计法等研究方法,对河南省农村中小学体育发展现状进行调查和分析。研究发现：场地器材不足、经费投入少、师资匮乏、教学水平较低、课外活动时间短等方面是影响农村学校发展的主要问题,对此提出了相应的发展对策。     

中英女大学生在称赞及其回应上的对比研究

称赞及其回应是人们生活中经常使用的言语行为。本文通过问卷调查来收集语料,对中英女大学生在称赞语及其回应的使用上存在的差异进行了定量和定性分析研究。研究结果显示:中英女大学生在称赞语的使用频率和称赞语回应策略上存在许多差异。这些差异可以从中英两国的社会和文化的角度等加以阐释。