Is a Behavioral Measure the Best Estimate of Behavioral Parameters? Perhaps Not

Abstract

In many areas of psychological research various measurement procedures are employed in order to obtain estimates of some set of parameter values. A common practice is to validate one measurement device by demonstrating its relationship to some criterion. However, in many cases the measurement of that criterion is less than a perfect estimate of true parameters. Self-report measures are often validated by comparing them with behavioral measures of the dimension of interest. This procedure is only justifiable insofar as the behavioral measure represents an accurate estimate of population parameters. Three studies, dealing with the assessment of assertiveness, students' in-class verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and a number of teacher-student in-class interactions, tested the adequacy of behavioral versus self-report measures as accurate estimates of behavioral parameters. In Studies 2 and 3 self-reports were found to be as good as behavioral measures as estimates of behavioral parameters, while Study 1 found self-reports to be significantly superior.One of the oldest debates in psychology has dealt with the adequacy of various types of data. This problem often involves a choice between self-report and behavioral data. The controversy dates back to the clash between Titchener's structuralist school of thought and James' functionalist approach to research. Methodologically, the issue was crystallized as the choice be-APPLIED PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT

Corporate Social Responsibility: A Comparative Analysis of Perceptions of Practicing Accountants and Accounting Students

“…However, as a number of authors have pointed out, self-report measures are indispensable in organizational research (Gupta and Beehr 1982;Podsakoff and Organ 1986). Indeed, in certain research contexts, self-reports may provide more accurate estimates of population parameters than behavioral measures (Howard et al, 1980). Finally, as previously mentioned, the instrument used in this study has been found to be highly reliable and psychometrically sound.…”

Prevalence and Predictors of Cyberbullying Perpetration by High School Seniors

“…Lee and Cornell convincingly argued that their study was the first published study to partially test the validity of the Olweus measure (and the reader is referred to their literature for a more thorough review of this claim). Finally, in what the researchers believe to be one of the few studies of its kind, Howard et al (1980) conducted a series of three studies comparing self-report measures of behavior to three other types of behavioral measures (i.e., self-report, other-report, role play, and actual observation). They studied three different behaviors, and concluded in all cases self-report measures of behavior are always as good and in some cases better than other behavioral measures.…”

The Relative Importance of Ethics as a Selection Criterion for Entry-Level Public Accountants: Does Gender Make a Difference?

“…However, as a number of authors have pointed out, self-report measures are indispensable in organizational research (Podsakoff and Organ, 1986). Indeed, in certain research contexts, selfreports may provide more accurate estimates of population parameters than behavioral measures (Howard et al, 1980). Finally, a comparison of business students and practitioners would be another productive avenue.…”