Measuring Subgroup Variation in Social Judgment Research: A Factorial Survey Approach

Factorial survey research has become increasingly popular in recent years as an efficient and effective methodology for the measurement of social judgments. In addition to the effects of dimensions and levels varied in factorial survey design, researchers often examine the impact of subgroup, or respondent, characteristics. However, the literature on subgroup variations does not reveal systematic differences among subgroups. Not previously examined in factorial survey research, and the focus of the present study, is whether or not subgroup attributes contribute to the variance in social judgments. The results suggest that subgroups, consistent with previous literature, often do not differ in social judgments. Interpretations are offered to account for the findings. r 1998 Academic Press