An Application of the Three‐Step Test‐Interview (TSTI): A Validation Study of the Dutch and Norwegian Versions of the ‘Illegal Aliens Scale’

Abstract

In this paper the results of a validation study of the Dutch and Norwegian versions of the Illegal Aliens (IA) Scale are discussed. The main objective is to evaluate the usefulness of the Three‐Step Test‐Interview (TSTI) as a pre‐testing method in a validation study. The TSTI is a new technique specifically developed to detect problems with self‐completion questionnaires. The study’s aims were twofold: (1) to evaluate the usefulness of the TSTI for detecting problems regarding attitude measurement; and (2) to identify potential problems with the IA Scale. The IA Scale is a Likert‐type attitude scale consisting of 20 parallel interval items. Its main purpose is for large comparative sample studies of political and ideological attitudes, for example between subgroups within populations or between countries. The TSTI procedure appeared to be very productive in terms of the number and kind of problems that were found regarding the Dutch and Norwegian versions of the IA Scale. It is concluded that the TSTI is useful as a diagnostic tool in validation studies of instruments that are aimed at measuring attitudes.

Notes

[1] This version of the IA Scale is the American version in which references to the USA have been substituted by Norway and the Netherlands and references to dollars by kroner, guilders and (more recently) euros. The term ‘illegal alien’ is American and should be replaced by a British equivalent if used in the UK (which has not happened as yet). Please note that respondents in our research filled out a Norwegian or Dutch version in which appropriate terminology regarding illegal immigrants was used.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tony Hak

Tony Hak is at the Department of Management of Technology and Innovation, RSM Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Kees van der Veer

Kees van der Veer is at the Department of Social Science Methodology, Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Reidar Ommundsen

Reidar Ommundsen is at the Institute of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.