Design, Evaluation, and Analysis of Questionnaires for Survey Research, 2nd Edition

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CONCEPTS-BY-POSTULATION AND CONCEPTS-BY-INTUITION

In this chapter, we will first discuss the difference between concepts-by-intuition and the concepts-by-postulation. After that we will illustrate the different ways in which concepts-by-postulation can be defined by concepts-by-intuition. In doing so, we will make a distinction between concepts-by-postulation, namely between concepts with reflective and formative indicators. These illustrations make it clear that there are many different ways to define concepts-by-postulation.

The effects that the wording of survey questions can have on their responses have been studied in depth by Sudman and Bradburn (1983), Schuman and Presser (1981), Andrews (1984), Alwin and Krosnick (1991), Molenaar (1986), Költringer (1993), Scherpenzeel and Saris (1997), and Saris and Gallhofer (2007b). In contrast, very little attention has been given to the problem of translating concepts into questions (De Groot and Medendorp 1986; Hox 1997). Blalock (1990) and Northrop (1947) distinguish between concepts-by-intuition and concepts-by-postulation.

1.1 CONCEPTS-BY-INTUITION AND CONCEPTS-BY-POSTULATION

Regarding the differentiation between concepts of intuition and concepts of postulation, Blalock (1990: 34) asserts the following:

Concepts-by-postulation receive their meaning from the deductive theory in which they are embedded. Ideally, such concepts would be taken either as primitive or undefined or as defined by postulation strictly in terms of other ...