Abstract
A formal model is described for representing qualitative attributes of public opinion. These were the subject of a paper by George Carslake Thompson in 1886, which, though reprinted in recent years, has never been reduced to operations. The proposed method covers Thompson’s schema in all its parts, and offers a way to measure opinions as individual understandings, operant as Q-sorts in Q-methodology.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BERELSON, B., & JANOWITZ, M. Reader in public opinion and communication. Glencoe: The Free Press, 1955.
DOOB, L. Public opinion and propaganda. New York: Holt Co., 1948.
MacDONALD, D. A theory of mass culture. In B. Rosenberg & D. M. White, (Eds.), Mass culture: The popular arts in America. Glencoe: The Free Press, 1957.
RUDOLPH, L. & S. H. Surveys in India. P.O.Q., 1958–9, 22, 223.
SELVIN, J. C. A critique of tests of significance in survey research. Am. sociol. Rev., 1957, 22, 519–527.
STEPHENSON, W. The study of behavior: Q-technique and its methodology. Chicago: Univer. of Chicago Press, 1953.
STEPHENSON, W. Independency and operationism in Q-sorting. Psych. Rec., 1963, 13, 269–272.
STERN, W. Individuelle Psychologic Leipzig: Sonnenschein Co., 1911.
THURSTONE, L. L., & CHAVE, E. J. The measurement of attitude. Chicago: Univer. of Chicago Press, 1929.
WARD, J. Psychological principles. Cambridge: Univer. Press, 1919.
WILLIAMS, J. RHYS. A critique of some assumptions of social science research. P.O.Q., 1959, 23, 55–62.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stephenson, W. Application of Q-method to the measurement of public opinion. Psychol Rec 14, 265–273 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395995
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395995