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Anchoring Vignettes as a Diagnostic Tool for Cross-National (in)Comparability of Survey Measures: The Case of Voters’ Left-Right Self-Placement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2023

Nick Lin Open the ORCID record for Nick Lin [Opens in a new window]  and
Seonghui Lee Open the ORCID record for Seonghui Lee [Opens in a new window]
Nick Lin*
Affiliation:
Institute of Political Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Seonghui Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Government, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
*
Corresponding author: Nick Lin; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

There are potentially multiple sources that make it difficult to compare the typical survey measure of the left-right self-placement cross-nationally. We focus on differential item functioning (DIF) due to the different use of response scales when the left-right is framed as an aggregate dimension of policies. We also examine whether and to what extent ordinary citizens’ use of the scale is cross-nationally comparable. Our goal is twofold. First, we assess the cross-national comparability of the left-right self-placement scale using the anchoring vignette method used in nine European countries. Second, we propose a measure that quantifies the extent of DIF at the country level. Our original survey and other benchmark studies suggest that the size of cross-national DIF (CN-DIF) in citizens' use of a left-right scale is relatively small when the left-right concept is considered in policy terms and when a comparison is made between Western European countries.

Keywords

anchoring vignettesdifferential item functioningcross-national comparabilityleft-right self-placement
Type
Letter
Information
British Journal of Political Science , Volume 54 , Issue 2 , April 2024 , pp. 492 - 502
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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