Do Different Response Formats Change the Latent Structure of Responses? an Empirical Investigation Using Taxometric Analysis

Abstract

Although Web-based surveys are increasing in popularity, very little research has been conducted on the psychometric implications of using different user interfaces for eliciting responses to survey items. The purpose of this study was to compare the latent structures of responses to two different user interface response formats in a Web-based survey. Two different coherent cut kinetics taxometric procedures—MAMBAC and L-mode factor analysis—were used to examine the latent structure of responses to a survey of library service quality using an unnumbered slider-bar user interface versus a radiobutton user interface. Strong evidence was found for a pure dimensional latent structure of responses from both user interfaces, which replicated across both taxometric procedures and across multiple survey items. It is concluded that the slider-bar and radiobutton user interfaces both yield similar latent structures of survey item responses. The implications of these findings for the construction of Web-based surveys are discussed.