Here - Tilburg University

Author and presenter
Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, Juergen H.P.; Gesis – Leibniz Institute for the Social
Sciences and University of Giessen
Title
Effects of Response Scale Formats in Comparative Survey Research
Abstract
In international comparative social survey research many important
problems in translating and harmonizing the questions have been solved in the
recent years. However, critical issues regarding the response scales used for of
attitude measurement still remain unresolved. In international comparative
survey research we know that the perceived distance between scale points will
change when the response scales are translated. The interpretation of vague
quantifiers used to verbalize scale points strongly varies by culture. Additionally,
there is a lack of research on effects of the response scale format on response
behavior. Although there has been research on the mid-point of rating scales as
well as on the direction of response scales from a national perspective, only a
small number of studies has been published on these important questions in the
context of international surveys. In this paper I will argue that international
research projects oftentimes rely on national traditions in formulating response
scales, which more often than not is based on ideology than on research. I
present effects of response scale formats found in national research and discuss
these effects with regard to the practice of international survey research and the
cross-cultural comparability of survey data.