A Comparison of Factorial and Traditional Population Surveys : Validity, Limitations, and Possibilities of Both Approaches

Abstract

"The aim of this article is to test the validity and plausibility of individuals' behavioural intentions, as surveyed through a vignette study design, by comparing the study's findings to 'traditional' survey data on actual behaviour. The authors discuss advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and demonstrate content-related and methodological basics of such a comparison, regarding the example of moving decisions in double income households. Descriptive and multivariate analyses are carried out on the empirical basis of a factorial survey on the mobility of couples' households and the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP). These analyses find that intentions to move, as surveyed by description of fictitious situations, are largely determined by the same factors as actual relocations observed in the SOEP. In the article's conclusion, the potential of the factorial survey as a complement to conventional surveys is further discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku)

Cite article

Nisic, N. & Auspurg, K. (2009): Faktorieller Survey und klassische Bevölkerungsumfrage im Vergleich. Validität, Grenzen und Möglichkeiten beider Ansätze. In: P. Kriwy & C. Gross (Hrsg.) (2009): Klein aber fein! Quantitative empirische Sozialforschung mit kleinen Fallzahlen, p. 211-246.