Cognitive pretesting

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Cognitive pretesting is a social science research method whereby potential respondents to a survey or self-report instrument are interviewed about what they think survey questions mean and how they go about choosing an answer ^[1]. Understanding the cognitive processes respondents go through in order to answer survey or self-report instrument questions can help survey developers modify questions so they more validly or accurately gather information from respondents. Cognitive pretesting is only one of many cognitive methods that can be used to improve the validity of survey or self-report instrument items ^[2].

[edit] References

[edit] Works Cited

1. ^ Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., Pollard, J. A., Catalano, R. F., & Baglioni, A. J. (2002). Measuring risk and protective factors for substance abuse, delinquency, and other adolescent problem behaviors: The Communities That Care Youth Survey. Evaluation Review, 26, 575-601.
2. ^ Forsyth, B. H., & Lessler, J. T. (1991). Cognitive laboratory methods: A taxonomy. In P. P. Biemer, R. M. Groves, L. E. Lyberg, N. A. Mathiowietz & S. Sudman (Eds.), Measurement errors in surveys (pp. 393-418). New York: Wiley & Sons.

[edit] Other references

• DeMaio, T. J., & Rothgeb, J. M. (1996). Cognitive interviewing techniques: In the lab and in the field. In N. Schwarz & S. Sudman (Eds.), Answering Questions: Methodology for Cognitive and Communicative Processes in Survey Research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Jobe, J. B., & Mingay, D. J. (1989). Cognitive research improves questionnaires. American Journal of Public Health, 79(8), 1053-1055.
• McKay, R. B., & de la Puente, M. (1996). Cognitive testing of racial and ethnic questions for the CPS supplement. Monthly Labor Review(September), 8-11.
• Woolley, M. E., Bowen, G. L., & Bowen, N. K. (2004). Cognitive pretesting and the developmental validity of child self-report instruments: Theory and applications. Research on Social Work Practice, 14, 191-200.