Re: Grid Stability
Jack Adams-Webber ( jadams@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA )
Tue, 7 Nov 1995 09:33:42 -0500
>Two problems with construct elicitation seem to be eliciting the constructs
>in the first place and avoiding duplications or trivisl paraphrases in the
>second. Getting a decent sample of construing behaviour should be of
>paramount importance for our understanding and these problems inhibit this.
>(Many published grids seem to be pretty small, even for quite restricted
>domains of enquiry.) How do we know when a sample of constructs is big
>enough and representative enough? In discussion with a colleague the other
>day we wondered about grid stability as an indicator. Presumably if we do
>successive analyses as we successively elicit constructs these should
>converge on a stable structure, i.e. the order of components' contributions
>to variance, and the number and construct loadings of components, should
>become increasingly stable, with only some redistribution of small amounts
>of variance as newly elicited constructs are added to the analysis.
>
>If that makes sense, could anyone point us at any work on this? If it
>doesn't, any contribution to our re-education would be welcomed!
>
>Thanks.
>
>Bill.
>
>Bill Ramsay,
>Dept. of Educational Studies,
>University of Strathclyde,
>Jordanhill Campus,
>GLASGOW,
>G13 1PP,
>Scotland.
>
>'phone: +44 (0)141 950 3364
> 'fax: +44 (0)141 950 3367
>e-mail: w.ramsay@strath.ac.uk
As an initial point of departure in addressing these specific
questions, you may wish to look at the following (somewhat dated) material:
Adams-Webber, J. (1979). Personal Construct theory. NY: Wiley;
Chapter 2: "Evaluation of idiographic contexts of meaning-repertory grid
theory and technique" (pp, 20-22); "Elicited versus supplied constructs"
(pp. 23-27); "Meaning and implication" (pp. 29-31); "Assessing individual
conceptual structures" (pp. 31-36); "Construct and figure interactions"
(pp. 36-41).
This is not a plug for my book...it has been out of print for some
years now.
Jack Adams-Webber Tel: 905(688) 5550 [x 3714]
Department of Psychology Fax: 905(688) 6922
Brock University E-mail: jadams@spartan.ac.brocku.ca
St. Catharines, Ontario
CANADA L2S 3A1
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