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This chapter explores how to get and prepare quantitative data prior to analysis. Use theory to identify the unit of analysis for your study, then determine the population and sample for your study. Be sure to capture appropriate variation in the DV and be alert for selection bias in how cases enter the sample. Issues of validity and reliability can potentially cause major problems with your analysis. Again, use your theory to carefully match indicators to concepts to minimize the risk of these problems. Think through the data collection process and plan ahead to maximize efficiency; gather all data for control variables and robustness checks in a single sweep, if possible. Much data, particularly for standard indicators of common concepts, is freely available online through a variety of sources, and your library probably also subscribes to other quantitative databases. Collecting new data is substantially more time-consuming than using previously-gathered data, but it is often necessary to test novel theories. Whether you use existing data or novel data, be sure to define your data needs list before beginning data collection, allow sufficient time, and document and back up everything.
We revisit the question of how to include parameter uncertainty in univariate parametric models of losses and loss ratios. We first review the statistical theory for including parameter uncertainty based on right Haar priors (RHPs), which applies to many commonly used models. In this theory, the prior is chosen in such a way as to ensure matching between predicted probabilities and the relative frequencies of future outcomes in repeated tests. This property is known as reliability, or calibration. We then test priors for including parameter uncertainty in a number of models not covered by RHP theory. For these models, we find priors that generate predictions that are more reliable than predictions based on maximum likelihood, although they are not perfectly reliable. We discuss numerical schemes that can be used to generate Bayesian predictions, including a novel use of asymptotic expansions, and we include an example in which we show the impact of including parameter uncertainty in the modeling of extreme hurricane losses. The tail loss estimates show material increases due to the inclusion of parameter uncertainty. Finally, we describe a new software library that makes it straightforward to apply the methods we describe.
Democracy measurement is an ever growing and increasingly important research area. Nevertheless, lively discussions concerning the qualities of different measurement approaches are seldom combined with an adequate perspective on the underlying methodological framework. This article argues that a substantial theoretical perspective is only a sufficient condition for improving contemporary democracy measurement. Theoretical considerations have to be accompanied by an equally well-developed measurement concept. On the basis of examples taken from prominent approaches, potential for improvement becomes obvious. Any improvement is not just an end in itself but necessary if these measures are used as variables in all areas of research.
The reliability of volunteers is a major concern for many nonprofit organizations. To address this problem in more detail, we develop a theoretical model of volunteer reliability based on psychological contract theory. By taking this perspective as a starting point, we explore how individual volunteer characteristics, organizational factors, and sociological developments shape the exchange of inducements and contributions between volunteers and nonprofit organizations. We discuss how these factors can create tensions in the psychological contract and determine the extent to which volunteers behave reliably. As such, we develop a theoretical framework for addressing the reliability problem in volunteer management.
Over recent decades, comparative political scientists have developed new measures at a rate of knots that evaluate the quality of democratic regimes. These indices have been broadly applied to assess the quality of democracy cross-nationally and to test the generalisability of theories regarding its causes and effects. However, the validity of these inferences is jeopardised by the fact that the quality of democracy is an abstract and contested concept. In order to address this eventuality, researchers constructing indices measuring the quality of democracy as well as researchers applying these indices should critically examine the quality of the indices. Owing to the absence of a standardised framework that is both suitable for the evaluation of contested concepts and that includes explicit coding rules so as to be directly applicable, this article seeks to fill this gap. The application of our framework is demonstrated by an evaluation of the Sustainable Governance Indicators, the Global Democracy Ranking and the Democracy Barometer. As indicated by our evaluation, the framework is a practical tool that helps to assess the conceptual foundation, validity, reliability and replicability of indices. In addition, it can be used to study the quality of indices in a comparable manner.
While there is an abundant use of macro data in the social sciences, little attention is given to the sources or the construction of these data. Owing to the restricted amount of indices or items, researchers most often apply the ‘available data at hand’. Since the opportunities to analyse data are constantly increasing and the availability of macro indicators is improving as well, one may be enticed to incorporate even qualitatively inferior indicators for the sake of statistically significant results. The pitfalls of applying biased indicators or using instruments with unknown methodological characteristics are biased estimates, false statistical inferences and, as one potential consequence, the derivation of misleading policy recommendations. This Special Issue assembles contributions that attempt to stimulate the missing debate about the criteria of assessing aggregate data and their measurement properties for comparative analyses.
Disasters significantly challenge societal resilience, individual psychological health, and sustainable development. This study aimed to culturally adapt the Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale (DARS) into Turkish and evaluate its psychometric properties for use in Türkiye. Participants (N = 335) aged 18 and older who had experienced a disaster in the past 5 years completed the Turkish version of the DARS following rigorous translation and expert review procedures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 5-factor structure: Problem-Solving, Optimism, Stress Management, Social Resources, and Physical Resources, accounting for 61.3% of the total variance. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.910), with subscale values ranging from 0.785 to 0.901. Test-retest reliability and discriminant validity were also established. The Turkish DARS is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating disaster-related adaptation and resilience. Its implementation supports sustainable mental health responses and community preparedness in disaster-prone regions.
The 10-item Beliefs About Penis Size Scale (BAPS; Veale et al., 2014) measures boys’ and men’s beliefs about masculinity and shame related to their penis size. Penis size is a primary appearance concern of men, and these concerns may result in penile dysmorphic disorder, which is a form of body dysmorphic disorder specifically focused on being preoccupied with and distressed by one’s penis size. The BAPS can be administered online or in-person to adolescents and adults and is free to use. This chapter discusses the development of the BAPS and provides evidence of its psychometrics. Findings suggest that the BAPS is a unidimensional measure. Internal consistency reliability as well as convergent, concurrent, and discriminant validity support the use of the BAPS with boys and men. This chapter provides the BAPS items in their entirety, instructions for administering the BAPS to participants, item response scale, and scoring procedure. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.
The Photographic Figure Rating Scale (PFRS; Swami et al., 2008) is a figural rating scale developed to assess body dissatisfaction (actual-ideal body size discrepancy) and consists of 10 photographic images of real women varying in body mass index from emaciated to “obese”. The PFRS can be administered online or in-person to women and is free to use for non-commercial purposes. This chapter discusses the development of the original PFRS, before providing evidence of its psychometric properties. Specifically, scores on the PFRS have been found to have adequate test-retest reliability and good patterns of convergent and criterion-related validity. Next, this chapter provides the PFRS images, as well as full instructions for administration to participants, the suggested questions, and the scoring procedure. Known translations are described and logistics of use are provided for readers.
The Breast Size Rating Scale (BSRS; Swami et al., 2015) is a figural rating scale developed to assess breast size dissatisfaction (actual-ideal breast size discrepancy), theorised to be a facet of negative body image. The BSRS consists of 14 computer-generated images of women varying in breast size alone. The BSRS can be administered online or in-person to women and is free to use for non-commercial purposes. This chapter discusses the development of the BSRS, before providing evidence of its psychometric properties. Specifically, scores on the BSRS have adequate test-retest reliability and good patterns of convergent, criterion-related, and incremental validity. Next, this chapter provides the BSRS in full and instructions for administering the BSRS to participants, the suggested questions, and the scoring procedure. Known translations are described and logistics of use are provided for readers.
The 9-item Body Image Life Disengagement Questionnaire (BILD-Q; Atkinson & Diedrichs, 2021) assesses behavioral avoidance of important life activities due to body image and appearance concerns. Encompassing life domains beyond physical and mental health (e.g., participation in education and sport, socializing, seeking healthcare, self-assertion), the BILD-Q contributes to understanding the broader consequences of negative body image on individual development and future contribution to society. The BILD-Q can be administered online or in-person to adolescents and adults and is free to use. Women and men complete the same 28 items. This chapter first discusses the development of the BILD-Q and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have shown the BILD-Q to have a unidimensional factor structure. Its gender invariance has been upheld among early adolescents. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BILD-Q. This chapter provides the BILD-Q items in their entirety, instructions for administration and scoring, and the item response scale. Links to available translations are included. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and citation information, are also provided for readers.
The 15-item Body Image Self-Consciousness (BISC) Scale (Wiederman, 2000) is a widely used contemporary measure of the extent individuals are self-conscious of their own bodily appearance during physical intimacy with a partner. The BISC Scale can be administered online or in-person to adolescents and adults with and without partnered sexual experience, and to those with male or female sexual partners. The BISC Scale is free to use in any setting. First, this chapter discusses the development of the BISC Scale and provides evidence of its psychometrics properties. Specifically, the BISC Scale has been found to have a single-factor structure within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and is invariant across male and female genders. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BISC Scale. Next, this chapter provides BISC Scale items in their entirety, instructions for administering the BISC Scale, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Logistics of use, including permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers. A Polish translation of the BISC Scale is provided and a modified version of the BISC Scale for use with men specifically is described (M-BISC; McDonough et al., 2008).
The 23-item Body Compassion Questionnaire (BCQ; Beadle et al., 2021) assesses compassion directed towards one’s own body. The BCQ can be administered online and in-person to adolescents over 16, and adults and is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the BCQ and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the BCQ has been found to have a 3-factor structure within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Gender invariance was demonstrated in the subscales, however overall score does not vary by gender. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BCQ. Next, this chapter provides the BCQ items in their entirety, instructions for administering the BCQ to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.
The 7-item Drive for Muscularity Scale - YT (DMS-YT; Yelland & Tiggemann, 2003) measures the desire and motivation directed toward obtaining muscularity. The DMS-YT can be administered online or in-person to adolescents and adults across genders, including women. It is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the DMS-YT within the literature on gay men’s body image and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the DMS-YT has been found to have a single-factor structure within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with both men and women. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the DMS-YT. Next, this chapter provides the DMS-YT items, instructions for administration, the item response scale, the scoring procedure, and known translations. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.
The 8-item Phenomenological Body Shame Scale - Revised PBSS-R assesses the degree to which an individual experiences shame about the body’s appearance or functioning. The scale is unique from other body shame scales in that it evaluates the phenomenological or embodied dimensions of shame, rather than its cognitive elements. The PBSS-R can be administered online to adults and is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the PBSS-R and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the PBSS-R has been found to have a one-factor structure within confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity, incremental validity, and convergent validity support the use of the PBSS-R. Next, this chapter provides the PBSS-R items in their entirety, instructions for administering the PBSS-R to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers
The 19-item Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS; Mayville et al., 2002) assesses the behavioral, cognitive, and affective domains of muscle dysmorphia, which is a variant of body dysmorphic disorder that involves the perceived lack of muscle mass and/or muscle definition. The MASS’s content was designed to capture the characteristics specific to muscle dysmorphia as a form of body dissatisfaction that primarily affects individuals involved in weightlifting. It can be used within research and as a measure of clinical change when treating muscle dysmorphia in applied settings. The MASS can be administered online or in-person to adults and is free to use. This chapter first discusses the development of the MASS and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 5-factor solution among weightlifters. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, criterion validity, and discriminant validity support the use of the MASS. This chapter provides the MASS items, instructions for administering the measure to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Links to available translations are included. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and citation information, are also provided for readers.
The Body Image Matrix of Thinness and Muscularity (BIMTM; Arkenau et al., 2020; Steinfeld et al., 2020) is a figure rating scale that assesses perceptual body image. It is available in two separate versions, one for men (BIMTM-Male Bodies) and one for women (BIMTM-Female Bodies). It consists of an 8 x 8 grid with 64 colored and realistic-looking figures of White men or women that vary in body fat along the horizontal axis and muscle mass along the vertical axis. The BIMTM can be administered online or in-person to adults and is free to use. This chapter first discusses the development of the BIMTM and then provides evidence of its psychometrics with men and women. A two-dimensional (body fat and muscularity) is assumed. Test-retest reliability, ecological validity, convergent validity, and criterion validity support the use of both the male and female versions of the BIMTM. This chapter provides the BIMTM in its entirety, as well as its instructions for administration and scoring. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and citation information, are also provided for readers.
The 25-item Body Parts Satisfaction Scale for Men (BPSS-M; McFarland & Petrie, 2012) is a commonly used measure of male body satisfaction, which focuses on the degree a male-identified adolescent or adult is satisfied with their appearance, particularly with respect to leanness (or low body fat) and muscularity. The BPSS measures male body satisfaction across three factors: upper body, legs, and face. The BPSS-M can be administered online or in-person to male identifying adolescents and adults and is free to use. This chapter first discusses the development of the BPSS-M and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the BPSS-M’s 3-factor structure is upheld within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, concurrent validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BPSS-M. Next, this chapter provides the BPSS-M items in their entirety, instructions for administration and scoring, and the item response scale. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are available for readers.
The 20-item Female Sexual Subjectivity Inventory (FSSI) and the 20-item Male Sexual Subjectivity Inventory (MSSI) have five subscales (elements) and can produce a total score for sexual subjectivity. The five measured elements (4 items each) assessed with each inventory are sexual body-esteem, entitlement to self-pleasure, entitlement to pleasure from a partner, self-efficacy in achieving desire and pleasure, and sexual self-reflection. The measure can be referred to as a measure of sexual subjectivity, psychological sexual health, or sexual self-perceptions. In total it assesses perceptions of the self as a sexual being with choice, desire, and deserving of pleasure. The FSSI and MSSI can be administered online or in-person and it has been included in research with adolescents and adults. The FSSI and MSSI are free to use. This chapter begins with a discussion of the development of the MSSI and FSSI from item generation to psychometric analyses. This is followed with psychometric information, including the factor structure and invariance, and evidence of reliability and validity. Additional sections cover administration, scoring, and information about abbreviated versions. Finally, the response scale, the items in their entirety, instructions for administration and scoring, and permissions, copyright and contact information are provided.
The two 18-item parallel forms of the Assessment of Body-Image Cognitive Distortions (ABCD; Cash et al., 2004) tap into distorted thinking related to how people process information about their physical appearance. It is based on the theory that people who are disproportionately invested in their appearance process attend to, encode, retrieve, recall, and interpret information in accordance with their appearance-related concerns (e.g., if no one comments favorably on their outfit, they may conclude that it is not flattering). ABCD items are phrased as hypothetical situations and respondents indicate the extent to which each situation is consistent with the mental conversations that they have about their own appearance. The ABCD can be administered online or in-person to adolescents or adults, and it is free to use. This chapter discusses the development of the ABCD and provides evidence of its psychometrics. There is evidence for its unidimensionality. Its internal consistency reliability as well as convergent, concurrent, incremental, and predictive validity. This chapter provides all items, the response scale, and instructions for administering and scoring the ABCD. Logistics of use, such as how to obtain and purchase the ABCD, permissions, copyright, and contact information are available for readers.