TY - JOUR
T1 - Analyzing factorial survey data with structural equation models
AU - Weijters, Bert
AU - Davidov, Eldad
AU - Baumgartner, Hans
N1 - Funding Information:
Eldad Davidov would like to thank the University of Zurich Research Priority Program Social Networks. Hans Baumgartner gratefully acknowledges support from the Smeal Chair Endowment. All three authors would like to thank Lisa Trierweiler for the English proof of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - In factorial survey designs, respondents evaluate multiple short descriptions of social objects (vignettes) that experimentally vary different levels of attributes of interest. Analytical methods (including individual-level regression analysis and multilevel models) estimate the weights (or utilities) assigned to the levels of the different attributes by participants to arrive at an overall response to the vignettes. In the current paper, we explain how data from factorial surveys can be analyzed in a structural equation modeling framework using an approach called structural equation modeling for within-subject experiments. We review the use of factorial surveys in social science research, discuss typically used methods to analyze factorial survey data, introduce the structural equation modeling for within-subject experiments approach, and present an empirical illustration of the proposed method. We conclude by describing several extensions, providing some practical recommendations, and discussing potential limitations.
AB - In factorial survey designs, respondents evaluate multiple short descriptions of social objects (vignettes) that experimentally vary different levels of attributes of interest. Analytical methods (including individual-level regression analysis and multilevel models) estimate the weights (or utilities) assigned to the levels of the different attributes by participants to arrive at an overall response to the vignettes. In the current paper, we explain how data from factorial surveys can be analyzed in a structural equation modeling framework using an approach called structural equation modeling for within-subject experiments. We review the use of factorial surveys in social science research, discuss typically used methods to analyze factorial survey data, introduce the structural equation modeling for within-subject experiments approach, and present an empirical illustration of the proposed method. We conclude by describing several extensions, providing some practical recommendations, and discussing potential limitations.
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U2 - 10.1177/00491241211043139
DO - 10.1177/00491241211043139
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85120410059
JO - Sociological Methods and Research
JF - Sociological Methods and Research
SN - 0049-1241
ER -