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Method Factors in Democracy Indicators

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  • Martin Elff

    (Faculty of Political & Social Sciences, Zeppelin University, Germany)

  • Sebastian Ziaja

    (Research Center for Distributional Conflict and Globalization, Heidelberg University, Germany)

Abstract

Method factors represent variance common to indicators from the same data source. Detecting method factors can help uncover systematic bias in data sources. This article employs confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to detect method factors in 23 democracy indicators from four popular data sources: The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Freedom House, Polity IV, and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project. Using three different multi-dimensional concepts of democracy as starting points, we find strong evidence for method factors in all sources. Method-specific factors are strongest when yearly changes in the scores are assessed. The sources find it easier to agree on long-term average scores. We discuss the implications for applied researchers.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Elff & Sebastian Ziaja, 2018. "Method Factors in Democracy Indicators," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(1), pages 92-104.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v:6:y:2018:i:1:p:92-104
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Giebler, Heiko & Ruth, Saskia P. & Tanneberg, Dag, 2018. "Why Choice Matters: Revisiting and Comparing Measures of Democracy," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10.
    3. Claire Durand & Luis Patricio Peña Ibarra & Nadia Rezgui & David Wutchiett, 2022. "How to combine and analyze all the data from diverse sources: a multilevel analysis of institutional trust in the world," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1755-1797, June.
    4. Henri Njangang & Youssouf Nvuh-Njoya, 2023. "Unravelling the link between democracy and economic complexity: fresh evidence from the Varieties of Democracy data," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 1-32, March.
    5. Vanessa A Boese, 2019. "How (not) to measure democracy," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 22(2), pages 95-127, June.
    6. Gabriele Prati, 2022. "The Association between Subjective Well-being and Regime Type across 78 countries: the moderating role of Political Trust," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3393-3413, December.
    7. Heiko Giebler & Saskia P. Ruth & Dag Tanneberg, 2018. "Why Choice Matters: Revisiting and Comparing Measures of Democracy," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10.

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