A field experiment for studying race relations embedded in organizations

Abstract

SummaryWhen social scientists conduct research in organizations, they engage in relationships with respondents in order to obtain information. For studies of race relations in organizations, questions arise about how researchers take account of their organizational and racial group memberships. This field experiment tests hypotheses derived from embedded intergroup relations theory about the effects of questionnaire administration procedures and race of respondents on response rate, reactions to the research, perceptions of race relations, and satisfaction. Results provided support for several hypotheses that predict respondents will experience the research and respond differently when they answer questionnaires in race alike group meetings than when they report anonymously by mail.

Nonresponse Rates to Organic Questionnaire Items as Evidence of Parallel Processes during Organizational Diagnosis

“…Tomaskovic-Devey, Leiter, and Thompson (1994), for example, showed that organization-level mail survey nonresponses were related to properties of organizations (e.g., subsidiary status) as well as to topics of questions (e.g., financial information). In a study of race relations, Alderfer and Tucker (1996), reasoning from embedded intergroup relations theory, demonstrated with a field experiment that response rates, response content, and attitudes toward the study depended on the methods of questionnaire administration. Rogelberg, Luong, Sederberg, and Cristol (2000) found that employees' attitudes about their jobs and supervisors were related to the respondents' anticipated nonresponses on a previewed questionnaire, if the instrument were to be administered by their employing organizations.…”

“…Consequently, one can infer that the questionnaire data were more reliable for less threatening topics and less reliable for more threatening topics. This finding is likely to be general, because respondents seem more likely to avoid-both consciously and unconsciously-answers to questions about which they are more anxious and fearful (Alderfer & Tucker, 1996). These results underline the natural caution experienced consultants have when they hear clients say, "There are no problems."…”

How African American Adolescents Manage Depression

“…Experts suggest that enhanced rapport and disclosure can be established and cultivated if the interviewer is of the same race/ethnicity as the participant (Krysan & Couper, 2003). Both the participants and interviewer in this study were AA, possibly limiting response bias (Alderfer & Tucker, 1996).…”

The Professional Life of Clayton Paul Alderfer

“…Alderfer’s work with his wife Charleen together with Bob and Leota Tucker involved an 8-year collaboration employing a mixed race and mixed gender team to diagnose and consult to race relations in a major U.S. corporation (Alderfer, 1992; Alderfer, 1996; Alderfer, Alderfer, Bell, & Jones, 1992; Alderfer, Alderfer, Tucker, & Tucker, 1980; Alderfer, Tucker, Alderfer, & Tucker, 1988; Alderfer, Tucker, Morgan, & Drasgow, 1983). The published record includes diagnostic methodology, intervention design, and research/evaluation processes all derived explicitly from embedded intergroup relations theory.…”