Surveying Cultures uniquely employs techniques rooted in survey methodology to discover cultural patterns in social science research. Examining both classical and emerging methods that are used to survey and assess differing norms among populations, the book successfully breaks new ground in the field, introducing a theory of measurement for ethnographic studies that employs the consensus-as-culture model. The book begins with a basic overview of cross-cultural measurement of sentiments and presents innovative and sophisticated analyses of measurement issues and of homogeneity among respondents. Subsequent chapters explore topics that are at the core of successful data collection and analysis in culture studies, including: The role of bipolar scales and Internet data collection in measuring sentiments Key methodological variables that determine the quality of quantitative data, including measurement errors, validity, and reliability New approaches to reliability and several new methods of assessing a respondent's degree of inculcation into group culture Sampling, coverage, nonresponse, and measurement errors, with an in-depth discussion of their occurrence in culture surveys, their impact assessments, and how current measurement techniques are constructed to help prevent these kinds of errors Common problems often encountered in the acquisition and communication of data, including identifying error variances, interpreting gender differences in responses, and defining the difference between cultures and subcultures Throughout the book, each topic is accompanied by a review of related methodological literature. For many of the presented concepts, the author includes a formal analysis of the related issues in measuring cultural norms and reports on analyses. Each chapter concludes with an organized list of major findings as well as an insightful outline of specific recommendations regarding practical problems in culture studies. Surveying Cultures serves as a valuable supplemental book to courses on survey and research methods at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also an excellent reference for researchers in the fields of sociology, anthropology, psychology, and political science.

Surveying Cultures uniquely employs techniques rooted insurvey methodology to discover cultural patterns in social scienceresearch. Examining both classical and emerging methods that areused to survey and assess differing norms among populations, thebook successfully breaks new ground in the field, introducing atheory of measurement for ethnographic studies that employs theconsensus-as-culture model.The book begins with a basic overview of cross-culturalmeasurement of sentiments and presents innovative and sophisticatedanalyses of measurement issues and of homogeneity amongrespondents. Subsequent chapters explore topics that are at thecore of successful data collection and analysis in culture studiesincluding:* The role of bipolar scales and Internet data collection inmeasuring sentiments* Key methodological variables that determine the quality ofquantitative data, including measurement errors, validity, andreliability* New approaches to reliability and several new methods ofassessing a respondent's degree of inculcation into groupculture* Sampling, coverage, nonresponse, and measurement errors, with anin-depth discussion of their occurrence in culture surveys, theirimpact assessments, and how current measurement techniques areconstructed to help prevent these kinds of errors* Common problems often encountered in the acquisition andcommunication of data, including identifying error variancesinterpreting gender differences in responses, and defining thedifference between cultures and subculturesThroughout the book, each topic is accompanied by a review ofrelated methodological literature. For many of the presentedconcepts, the author includes a formal analysis of the relatedissues in measuring cultural norms and reports on analyses. Eachchapter concludes with an organized list of major findings as wellas an insightful outline of specific recommendations regardingpractical problems in culture studies.Surveying Cultures serves as a valuable supplemental bookto courses on survey and research methods at theupper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also an excellentreference for researchers in the fields of sociology, anthropologypsychology, and political science.

Preface ixAcknowledgments xi1 Surveying Culture 11.1 Case Studies of Cultural Surveys 31.2 Preview 181.3 Chapter Highlights 202 Measuring Sentiments 232.1 Dimensions of Affect 262.2 Bipolar Scales 352.3 Internet Data Collection 512.4 Chapter Highlights 543 Sentiment Repositories 573.1 Early Archives 583.2 Cross-Cultural Atlas 603.3 Archives Related to Social Interaction 613.4 U.S. 2002-2004 Project 673.5 Chapter Highlights 734 Surveys with Vignettes 754.1 Factorial Surveys 764.2 Impressions from Events 864.3 Attribute-Identity Amalgamations 984.4 Event Likelihoods 1014.5 Synopsis 1064.6 Chapter Highlights 1084.7 Appendix: Impression-Formation Study Designs 1095 Errors in Surveys 1215.1 Coverage Errors 1225.2 Sampling Errors 1245.3 Nonresponse Errors 1245.4 Measurement Errors 1255.5 Other Errors 1295.6 A Survey-of-Cultures Model 1295.7 Statistics 1355.8 Inculcation Index 1395.9 Commonality Index 1415.10 Variance Components 1425.11 Implications 1445.12 Chapter Highlights 1466 Correlates of Enculturation 1496.1 Indices 1506.2 Conduct as a Rater 1516.3 Predicting Cultural Authoritativeness 1536.4 Implications 1606.5 Chapter Highlights 1647 Consensus in Sentiments 1677.1 Component Analyses 1687.2 Subcultures 1767.3 Discussion 1797.4 Chapter Highlights 1808 Measurement Reliability 1838.1 Reliabilities Within Stimuli 1848.2 Reliabilities Across Stimuli 1948.3 Chapter Highlights 2009 Culture and Surveys 2039.1 Unique Aspects of Sentiment Surveys 2039.2 Frameworks for Sentiment Surveys 2079.3 In Closing 2109.4 Chapter Highlights 211References 213Index 223