Comparing Extreme Response Styles between Agree-Disagree and Item-Specific Scales

Abstract

Although Likert scales in agree-disagree (A/D) format are popular in surveys, the data quality yielded by them is controversial among researchers. Recognizing the measurement issues involved with the A/D format, researchers have developed other question formats to measure attitudes. In this study, we focused on an alternative question type, the item-specific (IS) question, which asks the respondent to choose an option that best describes his or her attitude. Using political efficacy items from the American National Election Studies (ANES), we compare extreme response style (ERS) between A/D and IS scales. Latent class factor analysis showed that ERS exists in both A/D and IS scale formats, but differs slightly across the two. Also, when analyzing ERS within subjects across two waves, there is only a single ERS for both question formats, after controlling for the correlation within respondents. The last finding suggests that ERS is a stable characteristic.

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