Validation of self-reports for use in contact research

Thesis

The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether self-report measures of contact are valid for use in research testing the ‘contact hypothesis’. The vast majority of contact research has relied on the assumed validity of self-report methods of data collection (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006), even though the potential weaknesses of self-report methodology generally have been well documented. This reliance is necessary, as self-reports remain the only practical method so far developed of meas...

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Authors: Sharp, M

• Publication date: 2013
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: context effects; observer-reports; cross-group friendship; validity; predictive validity; contact hypothesis; self-reports
• Subjects: Attitudes; Social psychology; Social influence; Intergroup conflict; Stereotyping and intergroup relations; Interpersonal behaviour; Internet and everyday life; Experimental psychology