The effect of the spatial positioning of items on the reliability of questionnaires measuring affect
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology
| Field | Value | |
| Title | The effect of the spatial positioning of items on the reliability of questionnaires measuring affect | |
| Creator | Leo, Leigh Kolsch, Sebastian Beukes, Azaria Crous, Freddie Scheepers, Johann | |
| Description | Orientation: Extant research has shown that the relationship between spatial location and affect may have pervasive effects on evaluation. In particular, experimental findings on embodied cognition indicate that a person is spatially orientated to position what is positive at the top and what is negative at the bottom (vertical spatial orientation), and to a lesser extent, to position what is positive on the left and what is negative on the right (horizontal spatial orientation). It is therefore hypothesised, that when there is congruence between a respondent’s spatial orientation (related to affect) and the spatial positioning (layout) of a questionnaire, the reliability will be higher than in the case of incongruence.Research purpose: The principal objective of the two studies reported here was to ascertain the extent to which congruence between a respondent’s spatial orientation (related to affect) and the layout of the questionnaire (spatial positioning of questionnaire items) may impact on the reliability of a questionnaire measuring affect.Motivation for the study: The spatial position of items on a questionnaire measuring affect may indirectly impact on the reliability of the questionnaire.Research approach, design and method: In both studies, a controlled experimental research design was conducted using a sample of university students (n = 1825).Major findings: In both experiments, evidence was found to support the hypothesis that greater congruence between a respondent’s spatial orientation (related to affect) and the spatial positioning (layout) of a questionnaire leads to higher reliability on a questionnaire measuring affect.Practical implications: These findings may serve to create awareness of the influence of the spatial positioning of items as a confounding variable in questionnaire design.Contribution/value-add: Overall, this research complements previous studies by confirming the metaphorical representation of affect and enhances our understanding of embodiment-related conceptual processing and its subsequent influence on self-evaluations versus external evaluations on an unconscious level, specifically in relation to measuring affect. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2016-08-31 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajip.v42i1.1303 | |
| Source | SA Journal of Industrial Psychology; Vol 42, No 1 (2016); 8 pages 2071-0763 0258-5200 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/1303/1962
https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/1303/1963
https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/1303/1964
https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/1303/1961
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
