No-Opinion Filters and Attitude Measurement Reliability

Many survey researchers believe that the quality of answers to attitude questions may be improved by using no-opinion filters to remove those responses that are not based on true opinions. The authors investigate whether reliability, one aspect of data quality, is greater for filtered questions. Spl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sociological methods & research 1993-05, Vol.21 (4), p.438-464
Main Authors: McCLENDON, McKEE J., ALWIN, DUANE F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude Measures
Attitudes
Measures
Public opinion
Reliability
Research Responses
Responses
Social surveys
Sociology
Surveys
Telephone Surveys
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Many survey researchers believe that the quality of answers to attitude questions may be improved by using no-opinion filters to remove those responses that are not based on true opinions. The authors investigate whether reliability, one aspect of data quality, is greater for filtered questions. Split-ballot experiments from two telephone surveys of the Akron, Ohio metropolitan area are used to estimate the effect of filtered questions on the reliability of items from Srole's anomia scale, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale, and a scale of attitudes toward lawyers. There is no evidence that filtered questions improve reliability, and in the case of self-esteem, reliability may be reduced on the filtered form.
ISSN:0049-1241
1552-8294
DOI:10.1177/0049124193021004002