Bias and equivalence in cross-cultural survey research: An analysis of instrument comparability in the SPVA survey

Meike Morren (PhD student)
MTO, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Tilburg University

Project:NWO project at Tilburg University

Project running from: 1 February 2007 – 1 February 2011

Promotor(es):  Prof. dr J.K. Vermunt, Dr J.P.T.M. Gelissen

Summary:
Sociological cross-cultural survey studies often ignore the problem of cross-cultural equivalence, thereby tacitly assuming that concepts and terminology are being equally and equivalently evaluated by members in all respondent groups. This project sets out to invest igate to what extent comparabilit y holds for inst ruments included in the publicly and scientifically important Dutch survey “Sociale Positie en Voorzieningengebruik van Allochtonen (SPVA)” . The research uses a mixed-methods research design. The survey is first analyzed with statistical methods for bias detection. Focus groups act as a follow-up that provide information about respondents’ underlying thought processes and assists in interpreting the statistical results.

Title of thesis:  The survey response: A mixed method study of cross-cultural differences in responding to attitude statements. Oisterwijk: BoxPress. ISBN 978-90-8891-280-1