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The Use of Ordinal Test Theory in Cross-cultural Research in Behavioural Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

John A. Keats*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Newcastle, AUSTRALIA

Abstract

This paper introduces the problems of cross-cultural research and shows how ordinal test theory can contribute to the solution of some of these problems. The concept of tied-ranks scores is introduced and the use of these scores for dichotomous and polytomous items is explained, as is the use of this theory for the examination of conjoint ordering. Conjoint ordering can then be used to determine the existence of an underlying variable, and to establish whether or not the same underlying variable can be defined for each of the cultures to be compared. Given the satisfaction of these conditions, cross-cultural comparisons can be made. Other considerations germane to the problem of cross-cultural comparisons are also considered.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © University of Papua New Guinea & the University of Newcastle, Australia 1997

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