Universität zu Köln

Davidov, Eldad, Duelmer, Hermann, Cieciuch, Jan ORCID: 0000-0002-2291-8301, Kuntz, Anabel, Seddig, Daniel and Schmidt, Peter (2018). Explaining Measurement Nonequivalence Using Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling: The Case of Attitudes Toward Citizenship Rights. Sociol. Methods. Res., 47 (4). S. 729 - 761. THOUSAND OAKS: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. ISSN 1552-8294

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Abstract

It is necessary to test for equivalence of measurements across groups to guarantee that comparisons of regression coefficients or mean scores of a latent factor are meaningful. Unfortunately, when tested, many scales display nonequivalence. Several researchers have suggested that nonequivalence may be used as a useful source of information as to why equivalence is biased and proposed employing a multilevel structural equation modeling (MLSEM) approach to explain why equivalence is not given. This method can consider a latent between-level factor and/or single contextual variables and use them to explain items' nonequivalence. In the current study, we show that this method may also be useful for social science studies in general and for survey research and sociological comparative studies in particular when one fails to establish cross-group equivalence. We utilize data from the International Social Survey Program national identity module (2003) to test for the cross-country equivalence of a scale measuring attitudes toward granting citizenship rights to immigrants. As expected, the scale fails to achieve scalar equivalence. However, we explain a significant part of the most nonequivalent intercept by a latent between-level factor and one contextual variable, namely, the percentage of foreigners in the country relying on group threat theory. We show that the method does not necessarily rectify nonequivalence, but it can help to explain why it is absent.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Davidov, Eldad UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Duelmer, Hermann UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Cieciuch, Jan UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-2291-8301 UNSPECIFIED Kuntz, Anabel UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Seddig, Daniel UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schmidt, Peter UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-168515
DOI:	10.1177/0049124116672678
Journal or Publication Title:	Sociol. Methods. Res.
Volume:	47
Number:	4
Page Range:	S. 729 - 761
Date:	2018
Publisher:	SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
Place of Publication:	THOUSAND OAKS
ISSN:	1552-8294
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language COVARIANCE STRUCTURE-ANALYSIS; PERCEIVED ETHNIC THREAT; CROSS-CULTURAL RESEARCH; EUROPEAN SOCIAL SURVEY; MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE; MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENCE; FIT INDEXES; CONSTRUCTIVE PATRIOTISM; COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE; ANTI-IMMIGRANT Multiple languages Social Sciences, Mathematical Methods; Sociology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/16851