Experimental Validation of a New Pictorial Visual-Analogue Response Scale

Abstract

U psihološkim se mjerenjima uglavnom koriste numeričke (NS) i/ili verbalne (VS) skale za odgovore koje nekim pojedincima/skupinama mogu biti teže razumljive, dovodeći u pitanje valjanost prikupljenih podataka. Iako je manje istraživan dio procesa odgovaranja, odgovaranje pomoću skala za odgovore također je moguć izvor ugrožavanja kvalitete mjerenja. Stoga je konstruirana opće primjenjiva slikovna vizualno-analogna skala (VAS) te su se psihometrijska svojstva podataka dobivenih njezinom primjenom i stav prema njoj provjerili pomoću dvostruko slijepoga eksperimenta. U istraživanju su sudjelovali studenti prosječne dobi od 21 godine čiji je zadatak bio davati samoprocjene na upitniku ličnosti IPIP (podljestvice neuroticizma i ekstraverzije) pomoću jedne od skala za odgovore. Sudionici su po slučaju bili uvršteni u jednu od triju skupina: 1) neuroticizam – VAS i ekstraverzija – NS (n = 59), 2) neuroticizam – NS i ekstraverzija – VAS (n = 60) ili 3) neuroticizam – NS i ekstraverzija – NS (n = 58; kontrola). Analize su pokazale da se valjanost u smislu strukture, odnosa s drugim varijablama, procesa odgovaranja i razine mjerenoga svojstva te pouzdanost ne razlikuju ovisno o načinu davanja odgovora, odnosno, faktorska struktura, povezanost ekstraverzije i neuroticizma, korištenje pojedinih stupnjeva odgovora, trajanje ispunjavanja, prosječna razina neuroticizma i ekstraverzije te koeficijent Cronbachova alfa bili su podjednaki u svim skupinama. Sudionici su pokazali pozitivne stavove prema objema skalama te blagu preferenciju za NS. Rezultati upućuju na mogućnost upotrebe takve skale za odgovore, kao i važnost toga aspekta mjerenja u kontekstu valjanosti, te na moguća daljnja istraživanja nove vizualno-analogne skale u različitim kontekstima.In psychological measurements, numerical (NS) and/or verbal (VS) scales are mostly used for responses, but these can be difficult for some individuals/groups to understand, which calls into question the validity of the data collected. A possible source of compromising measurement quality is the response scales used for answering, although they are a less researched part of the answering process. Therefore, a generally applicable image-based visual-analogue scale (VAS) was constructed in this study, and the psychometric characteristics of the data obtained from its application as well as the attitude towards it were verified using a double-blind experiment. Students with an average age of 21 years took part in the research. Their task was to give self-assessments on the IPIP personality questionnaire (neuroticism and extraversion subscales) using one of the response scales. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) neuroticism-VAS and extraversion-NS (n = 59), 2) neuroticism-NS and extraversion-VAS (n = 60) or 3) neuroticismNS and extraversion-NS (n = 58; control). The analyses showed that the validity in terms of the structure, relationship to other variables, the answering process, and the level of the measured characteristic as well as reliability do not differ depending on the method of response, i.e., the factor structure, the correlation between extraversion and neuroticism, the use of different scale points, the duration of completion, the average level of neuroticism and extraversion, and the Cronbach alpha coefficient were equal in all groups. Participants showed a positive attitude towards both scales and a slight preference for NS. The results indicate the possibility of using this response scale, as well as the importance of this aspect of measurement in the context of validity and possible further research of the new visual-analogue scale in different contexts