Abstract
Method variance is an artifact of measurement that biases results when relations are explored among constructs measured by the same method. The existence of method variance was explored for affective and perceptual constructs frequently used in organizational research. Data from multitrait–multimethod analyses, studies of social desirability and acquiescence, and relation of self-report and records of absenteeism were presented. Little evidence for method variance as a biasing problem was found with these measures. I conclude that properly developed instruments of the type studied here are resistant to the method variance problem, but that validity of these instruments cannot be assumed on the basis of these results.
Keywords
PsychologyAffect (linguistics)Artifact (error)MythologyPerceptionVariance (accounting)Work (physics)Social psychologyCognitive psychologyCommunication
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1987
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 438-443
- Citations
- 927
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Paul E. Spector
(1987).
Method variance as an artifact in self-reported affect and perceptions at work: Myth or significant problem?.
Journal of Applied Psychology
, 72
(3)
, 438-443.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.72.3.438
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037/0021-9010.72.3.438