RESEARCH METHOD COHEN ok

EXAMPLES OF STUDIES USING MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING AND CLUSTER ANALYSIS 577
computed on the basis of the number of times a
pair of episodes was placed in the same category by
respective housewife and student judges. Data were
aggregated over the total number of subjects in
each of the 2 groups. The 25 ‘top’ social episodes in
each group were retained. Forgas’s (1976) analysis
is based upon the ratings of 26 housewives and
25 students of their respective 25 episodes on
each of the 12 unidimensional scales. Box 25.13
shows a three-dimensional configuration of 25
social episodes rated by the student group on 3
of the scales. For illustrative purposes some of
the social episodes numbered in Box 25.13 are
identified by specific content.
In another study, Forgas (1978) examined the
social environment of a university department
consisting of tutors, students and secretarial staff,
all of whom had interacted both inside and outside
the department for at least 6 months prior to the
research and thought of themselves as an intensive
and cohesive social unit. Forgas’s interest was in
the relationship between two aspects of the social
environment of the department – the perceived
structure of the group and the perceptions that
Chapter 25
Box 25.13
Students’ perceptions of social episodes
.4
don't know
how to behave
14
25
.2
involved
20
10
3
7
15
0
5
17
23
22 11
unpleasant
.2
pleasant
19
1
13
6
4
12
9
.4
8
2
1824
16
6
21
.4
uninvolved
.4
.4
Episodes
⎧ 14 Meeting new people at a sherry party in college
⎨ 25 Play chess
⎩ 10 Getting acquainted with a new person during dinner at hall
⎧ 2 Having a drink with some friends in the pub
⎪ 18 Going to see a play at the theatre with friends
⎨ 24 Watch TV with some friends
⎪
⎩ 8 Going to the pictures with some friends
.2
0
know how
to behave
.2
.2
0
.2
.4
Source:adaptedfromForgas1976