Date:         Fri, 28 May 2010 18:04:26 -0400
Reply-To:     "Lisa T. Stickney" <Lts1@ptd.net>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Lisa T. Stickney" <Lts1@ptd.net>
Subject:      Re: difference scores question
Comments: To: John F Hall <johnfhall@orange.fr>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Hi John,

Nope. I hadn't considered this either. It may have possibilities. I'll have to look into it. As for my measures being single items, they are not. Supervisors and subordinates were given the same validated, 16-item scale to complete, and the reliabilities for both are good.

Thanks for your time.

    Best,
         Lisa

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John F Hall 
  To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
  Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 1:22 PM
  Subject: Re: difference scores question


  You're bound to get a professional statistical answer from one of the listers, but have you considered Discriminant Function Analysis to see if you can use the attitudes to predict which group respondents belong to?  Using single items may also be misleading: you need to look for underlying dimensions and structure as well.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: lts1 
    To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
    Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 3:13 PM
    Subject: difference scores question



    HI SPSSers,

    I have a stats question, about difference scores. I need to look at
    convergence in attitudes between employees and their managers. The
    attitudes are measured with a 5-point Likert-type scale. I've done some
    research on the subject, and I understand there are a number of problems
    associated with merely taking the difference between them. I have
    identified three alternatives to calculating a difference score. They are:

    - use a residual score that is computed by taking the sub/mgr score and
    partialling out the effect of the other’s score
    - calculate a profile similarity index, or
    - use polynomial regression with response surface analysis.

    Could anyone tell me if any of the three is preferred, or if there is
    something else I should be looking at.

    As always, thank you for your time and help.

    Best,
    Lisa


    Lisa T. Stickney, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor of Management
    Merrick School of Business
    University of Baltimore
    Ph:   410-837-6607
    Fax: 410-837-5675
    Lstickney@ubalt.edu

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