Skip to main content
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Search

Full Article

Visit Apply Give

Recent CARMA Webcasts Inspire Critical Thinking

Recent CARMA Webcasts Inspire Critical Thinking
Meade, Drasgow, Bagozzi and Turner presented webcasts recently
The Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA), presented a variety of webcasts during December and January as part of the 2016-17 series. The webcasts provided snapshots of various applications related to research methods and analysis. To view the webcasts visit the CARMA video library webpage. If you are not yet a registered user, there are links on the page to create a registration for individuals of member institutions.
 
Dr. Adam Meade, professor of industrial organizational psychology at North Carolina State University, presented, “Understanding and Detecting Careless Responding in Survey Research” on Friday, December 2. He discussed how careless responding on surveys introduced error into data and can affect estimates of reliability and factor structure, as well as results of hypothesis testing. Meade explained how screening data for careless responses ahead of analysis has become a necessary step. He addressed the potential ramifications of failing to address the careless responding, the causes of careless responding, methods for identifying careless responding and his recommendations for preventing careless responses.
 
Dr. Fritz Drasgow,dean and professor in the School of Labor and Employment Relations of the University of Illinois, presented “Personality Assessment in the 21st Century” on Friday, January 13. He gave important insight on research aimed at creating a “next generation” personality assessment. Features included a framework for personality more articulated than the Big Five, a measurement model appropriate for self-report, computer adaptive administration and a response format resistant to faking. This framework includes 22 facets underlying the Big Five and the measurement model is the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model combined with the Multi-Unidimensional Pairwise Preference Model. Items are administered in the two-alternative forced choice format to minimize faking good. Software for computerized adaptive administration has been developed. His lecture included summary findings for military samples.
 
On Friday, January 27, Dr. Richard Bagozzi, Dwight F. Benton Professor of Behavioral Science in Management at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Scott Turner, associate professor of management at the University of South Carolina presented. Bagozzi’s lecture, “Structural Equation Models for Cooperative Small Group Contexts: The Interplay of Theory and Method in Goal-Directed Behavior,” highlighted how theory and method influence each other. He discussed how we conceive phenomena constrains, how we measure phenomena shapes and how we think about them. In order to better understand certain aspects of small group behavior (e.g., family decision making), he introduced a new conceptualization of small group behavior (plural subject theory) and applied structural equation models (SEMs) to it. These SEMs then aim to test hypotheses with respect to goal-directed behavior of small groups while correcting for systematic and random error.
 
Turner’s talk on “Mixed Methods in Strategy and Organizations Research,” presented the notion that all methods are individually flawed, but explained these limitations can be mitigated through mixed methods research, which combines methodologies to provide better answers to research questions. Turner focused on a research design framework for mixed methods work based on the principles of triangulation. Core elements for the research design framework include theoretical and methodological purpose. From this foundation, consideration is given to how the multiple methodologies are linked to accomplish the theoretical purpose, focusing on three types of linking processes: convergent triangulation, holistic triangulation and convergent and holistic triangulation. He discussed the implications of the linking processes and created a roadmap serving as a design guide for organization scholars conducting mixed methods research.
 
The final webcasts for the current series will be held April 7, beginning at 11 a.m. central time. Visit the webcast programs page for more information.
 
CARMA is an interdisciplinary center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln devoted to helping faculty, graduate students and professionals keep up-to-date on developments in various areas of social science research methods and data analysis.
Published: March 1, 2017