Download - HSRC Press

which is being investigated. In view of the fact that the latter issue is discussedin the following section, we shall limit ourselves to some remarks on thequestion of mono- operation bias here. Cook and Campbell define this conceptin the following manner: Since single operations both underrepresentconstructs and contain irrelevancies, construct validity will be lower in singleexemplar research than in research where each construct is multiply operationalizedin order to triangulate on the referent (1979: 68).Referring back to our example of alienation, it ought to be clear that monooperationbias would have occurred if Dean had used one item only to obtain ascale score. Although it has become customary to employ scales which containmultiple items for each construct, it cannot be denied that it still happens thatfar too many measurements of attitude still rely on single items to measure therespondent’s attitudes to a variety of subjects. When, however, multipleindicators (so-called multiple operationism) are used there are a number oftechniques which may be employed to assist in determining the constructvalidity of theoretical concepts. One such technique is factor analysis. Thefollowing example has been slightly adapted from the work of Krausz andMiller (1974: 24-25). The example is a simple illustration of the principleunderlying the use of factor analysis in the determination of construct validity.Assume that the theory that we are employing contains the constructs statusand intelligence. Further assume that six indicators are used to measure theseconstructs: income, length of training, value of fixed assets, problem solvingability, figure recognition and reading comprehension. This could berepresented in the following manner:Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaConstructsIndicatorsIncomeAStatus Length of training BValue of fixed assets CProblem solving ability DIntelligence Figure recognition EReading comprehension FBasically, factor analysis involves an analysis of the intercorrelations betweenindicators. In the present example, one would expect high intercorrelationsbetween A, B, and C, and also between D, E, and F. We would also expect thatvery low or zero correlations would be found between the indicators of status(ABC) and intelligence (DBF). If this pattern of correlations were found, itwould suggest the existence of a common factor underlying A, B, and C, and asecond factor underlying D, E, and F. It should be emphasized that thetechnique of factor analysis is limited to the identification of factors on69