ESRA 2023 sessions by theme

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With few exceptions (e.g. Höhne, Krebs, and Kühnel, 2022) scale polarity research is lacking in the past few years of survey research on rating scales. Scale polarity is a decision to make when writing a questionnaire “is theoretical, empirical, and practical. “ (Schaeffer & Dykema, 2020, p.40). The second decision to make is to decide how many scale points a unipolar or bipolar scale should have. Other decisions are the use of labels (if fully labeled or endpoint labeled) and if using numbers associated with the scale point.
In this session we want to restart the debate on scale polarity and its effect on data quality (DeCastellarnau, 2018).

More specifically we are looking at contributions to this topic such as:

Didactical or empirical studies aiming at clarifying the polarity nature of key constructs
Empirical studies on the data quality and/or practical utility of using bipolar vs. unipolar question and scale design
Impact of question (e.g., balanced wording) and answer scale design choices (# of scale points, choice of labeling, scale orientation, etc.)
Understanding the “why” (e.g., through asking or observing respondents)
Cultural/language generalizability or moderators/mediators
Studies using samples other than opt-in online panels
Mode effects, if any on visual vs auditory presentation of the scales
Validity and reliability of the two scale formats
Systematic reviews
Meta-analytic studies

DeCastellarnau, A. (2018). A classification of response scale characteristics that affect data quality: A literature review. Quality & Quantity, 52, 1523–1559.

Höhne, J. K., Krebs, D., & Kühnel, S.-M. (2022). Measuring Income (In)equality: Comparing Survey Questions With Unipolar and Bipolar Scales in a Probability-Based Online Panel. Social Science Computer Review, 40, 108–123.

Schaeffer, N. C., & Dykema, J. (2020). Advances in the science of asking questions. Annual Review of Sociology, 46.