Research Question: Surveys, Validity, and Reliability

• The chapter aims to differentiate correlational and experimental studies and describe how to test a research question using surveys, addressing biases, reliability, and validity.

Introduction to Research Question

• Humans have a basic need to connect with others
• College fraternities and sororities attract some students, while others view them negatively.
• It is possible to argue the different viewpoints of the students in regards to fraternities - indicating a good research question.
• The scientific method, including literature reviews, should be used to investigate the research question.

Reviewing Literature

• First step in reviewing literature is to consider if Greek life members differ from non-members

Self-Concept

Differences in groups might influence decisions to join Greek life.

• Self-concept clarity is how clearly people define themselves.
• Some people easily list personality traits to define themselves, while others struggle.
• Self-concept clarity reflects how clearly, confidently, and consistently people describe themselves

Search strategy for information

• Research should not be limited to Pyschology specific databases
• Use other resources such as ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)
• Jennifer D. Campbell is a researcher who studies self-concept clarity. Studies with her should be reviewed

Study: Differences Between Greek and Non-Greek College Students

• Study explored question of how women wanting to join a sorority differ from others.
• First-year female students were surveyed multiple times during their first year of college.
• Women wanting to rush a sorority had a higher need for exhibitionism, a willingness to attend parties where they did not fit in, and higher social self-esteem, but not higher overall self-esteem.

Study: Risky Drinking in College

• Examined differences between students who did and did not join a Greek organization.
• First-time students were surveyed at college orientation and at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
• Students joining fraternities or sororities were more extraverted, valued partying, were more likely to engage in risky behaviors involving substance use.
• Fraternities and sororities may attract students needing social interaction and sensation-seeking.

Study: Self-Efficacy and Learning in Sorority and Fraternity Students

• Compares Greek and non-Greek students on self-efficacy and performance.
• Self-efficacy: an individual's belief they can achieve a desired outcome.
• Greek students had significantly higher self-efficacy.

Study: Greek Affiliation and Attitude Change in College Students

• Examined changes in students over four years of college based on Greek affiliation.
• Students were surveyed when starting college and upon graduation and categorized as "Greek," "ex-Greek," or independent.
• Greek students were less autonomous in relation to family and peers and these differences existed before joining Greek organizations.
• Initial differences account for changes in students while in college, not values of Greek organizations

Study: Self-Concept Clarity

• People with low self-esteem have low self-concept clarity.
• Low self-esteem participants were less extreme and confident in self-descriptions, suggesting less certainty.
• Low self-esteem participants were less consistent in self-ratings over testing sessions.
• Low self-esteem reflects less consistency in self-descriptions when comparing general and situation-specific ratings.
• Low self-esteem participants showed less internal consistency in self-descriptions.

Study: Self-Concept Clarity Scale

• Demonstrated SCC Scale is reliable and valid self-report measures of self-concept clarity

Study: Self-Concept Clarity's Role

• Explored self-konwledge accuracy
• Individuals with greater clarity have greater accuracy in self-knowledge, which indicates more agreement between self and others when rating personality traits and frequency of everyday behavior
• Higher self-concept clarity allowed more accuracy in predicting actual behavior on a novel task.

Study: Relation Between Self-Concept Clarity

• Explored relations between self-concept clarity, relationship satisfaction, and relationship commitment.
• Individuals with higher concept clarity reported greater satisfaction and commitment with relationships and manipulating self-concept clarity.
• Concept clarity had higher satisfaction and commitment than those in a condition with self-concept confusion.
• Concept clarity is related to quality of romantic relationships.

Key Findings

• College students joining fraternities and sororities differ from other students in personality traits and these differences predated joining
• People have clearer, more accurate beliefs about themselves compared to others
• Self-concept clarity relates to relationship satisfaction and commitment
• No research specifically explores joining to fraternities

Study focus

• Research question focuses on relationship between self-concept clarity with the interest of fraternity/sorority

Variable definitions

• Self-concept clarity: how clear and certain a person is about who they are more able to give descriptions
• Interest: Positive attitude toward joining a Greek organization

Research strategies:

• Determine associations
• Associations: Systematic patterns we find in data. Are the greatest interested in joining a group, the ones with a clearer picture of self?
• Correlational studies: Best strategy to test associations between variables. Evaluates if changes align with changes in another.

A correlation

• Statistic that measures the strength of association between two variables.
• Enable a step further to examine relation to each other from examining "things" from a descriptive study.
• Correlation does not determine or cause someone's intrest in joining a Greek organization.

Correlational studies

• DO NOT allow drawing cause-and-effect
• ONLY enables to explore variables relate to each other
• Changing one variable causes changes in the other - needs experiment
• Link needs to be established before making causal claims
• Correlational studies help establish the link

Research collection:

• Collect information about student's sense of self and intrest in joining a Greek organization
• Individual's decision making processes might be understood using in depth interviews

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

• Qualitative might limit individual decisions
• Qualitative research is useful without a specific variable
• Quantitative data systematically collected from a group of individuals in order to apply data to larger populations

Qualitative Vs Quantitative research example

• Researchers analyze college students self-concept clarity with intrest of joining a greek organization. To do this, group of college students will be asked.
• Responses will evaluate associations of variables.

Research design

• Determine how to measure variables: using self-report, what to ask
• Researchers use open answers in qualitative
• Potential questions include "How clear is your self-concept, you know, like, in general?"
• Answers might include: "Crystal clear" or "Kinndd of hazy" or whatever

Closed ended questions

• Participants have predetermined set of responses.
• Could use likert scale: 1-7
• Questions might be misunderstood- so it may not get accurate information

Variable complexity helps address these issues

• Several questions or items measuring the same variable
• A scale usally contains series of closed-ended questions
• A Researcher sums a particpant's responses to questions to create a single score.
• Random error is cancelled out when using multiple items rather than a single item.
• The study will need two different scales: Self-concept clarity and if they have any intrest in joining greek life

Self-Concept Clarity (SCC) Scale

• Reasearcher's routinely used already
• Established measures reliable and valid
• Published scaled helps because researchers have already established scale's quality and reliability

Other places to identify scales

• Books and Online Guides
• Example for Greek Life Study: Mental measurements yearbook

What is a likert scale?

• Scale that measures one's attitude toward joining a fraternity or sorority
• a summated ratings scale where the participants evaluate a series of statements using a set of response alternatives.

Types of judgements:

• level of aggrement
• frequency of occurance
• Overall evolution
• Each option has a descriptor label that corresponds with the data. The researcher uses value of all to measure particular variable.

Likert scale

• Useful in Greek life study because its the same response
• Participants will make judgements using same response, avoids confusion.
• Phrasing items as statements to be judged instead of questions to be answered.
• Best beginning is brainstorming by writing down items reflecting desired variable.

Biased brainstorming:

• If preconveived or stereotypes - should collective some data about reasons joining a faternity and incorporatring a list.
• Example potential Item: "Belonging to a Greek Organization Increases my chances of success"

Improve scale accuracy

• By avoiding confusing your participants "Belonging to a Greek organization increases my chances of being successful."
• Is being successful realated to 1) academic, 2) social, or 3) job prospects

Double-barreled item

• Asks two diffrent things at the same time. "Joining a Fraternity or Sorority will help me meet my academic goals and meet others with similar goals."

Problem of confusing the participants

• People can respond a midpoint or focus
• If it's double barreled- item to avoid

1. Joining a F/S will help me meet goals 2)belonging to F/S meet other students' goals

Avoid jargon, complex, or specfic terms they dont no

• Example : "Rushing a faternity or sorority will make me more friends"

Account of reading level and vocab they understand

"Fraternities and Sorities are for 1) obtuse students who 2) distinctly lack erudite qualities"

Response set

• Bias in how a person answers items to measure

Acquiescent Bias

• agree with every statement

Reverse-coded

• High scores have the opposite meaning
• Original "Fraternities and Sorities offer a good way to spend time is changed to F/S are a waste of time"

Rephrasing statement

• Don't say "not joining "
• 1/2 scale opposite direction

Response alternative

• Number of responsed partcipants
• Simple respondes like true/false/yes/no are Forced choice which lead to several problems - 1) can't decide if a person has what response to choose 2) item is "true" and don't know

Third option

"Sometimes yes or sometimes no"

• Selecting seems less extream average
• Error of central tendency- means a tendancy to avoid highest/lowest end

More response is precision

• How many question - test
• 400 point will have illusion
• Hard describe the data what can describe "Slightly disagree" with number

Alternatives and verbal descriptors

• Agree/ Disagree
• Important to show the variables correlate/relate

Calculating score

• Use scales measure key variables: provide precision then items Participants like going Greek change with number
• Simply summing responses = cannacling

Prevention method to stop canceling:

• Reverse-coded response one scale
• Assign numbers to the variable depending to know if it is working including reliability/validity
• Must include key aspects like the affect on post college success

Face valitdity

" Does it test well and test people want?

Construct valitdty

" Do you want scale"?

Convergent Valitdty

"Scale scores correlate w/ measurement

Explore correlational and experimental studies. Learn to test research questions using surveys, addressing biases. Understand reliability and validity in research. Review the scientific method, including literature reviews, to investigate research questions.