Population Sampling frame Sampling Units of observation Units of analysis Ecological fallacy.

1. Population Sampling frame Sampling Units of observation Units of analysis Ecological fallacy. Concepts to be included

2. Units Henk van der Kolk

3. The difference between Units of analysis Units of observation Ecological fallacy Aim

4. Research questions are abouttheoretical variablesdescribingunits Two aspects of observation Theoreticalvariable(s) Conceptualization Operationalization Measurement Sampling Unit (s) Data

5. Units Sampling Unit (s) Data

6. Units of analysis and the units of observation are often of the same ‘type’ Example: people Units

7. Dutch people between 18 and 65 in 2015 Population registry Every 100th individual People participating People answering a specific question

8. Selecting informants tosay something about the aggregates they are a part of, or are familiar with Example: Municipalities as observed bycouncil clerks Units of A & units of o may be different Units of Observation Units of Analysis

9. Research questions about aggregates: Diversity of musicial tastes of married couples Heterogeneity of teams Units of A & units of o may be different

10. Ask questions about and formulate hypotheses about units of analysis Collect data about the units of observation Make sure the two are ‘linked’. Units

11. Drawing conclusions about lower level units solely on the basis of aggregate data Example: Suicide rates in regions, in a fictituous country Ecological fallacy

12. Scatterplot Suicides / 100.000 Percentage peoplebelongingtoreligion B

13. More people with religion B …. More suicides … People with religion B commit more often suicide (?) What if people of religion A feel treatened, the more people of religion B are living in the region? People with religion A commit more oftensuicide (?) Ecological fallacy

14. In this example: Units of observation are ‘regions’ Units of analysis are ‘individuals’ However: drawingconclusions about lower level units (individuals) solely on the basis of aggregate data (regions) is not neccessarilycorrect. Distinguishing units

15. The difference between Units of analysis Units of observation Ecological fallacy Importance of thinking about the link between units of observation and units of analysis This micro lecture

16. Footer text: to modify choose ‘Insert’ (or ‘View’ for office 2003 or earlier) then ‘Header and Footer’