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Investigating Group Differences

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Bibb

    (University of Illinois at Urbana)

  • Dennis W. Roncek

    (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Abstract

Frequently, sociologists encounter research problems which call for assessing the extent to which two or more categories of people or events can be maximally distinguished from one another with respect to a number of common variable attributes. Unfortunately, predictive models which evidently accomplish just this, in addition to providing rules for the classification of new entities, have been conspicuously absent from the literature. Discriminant analysis, a multivariate technique extensively employed in physical anthropology, clinical psychology, and the biological sciences, has made scant headway in sociology, even though many of our most interesting substantive investigations are clearly amenable to it. The purpose of this paper, then, is first to suggest numerous research situations in which two-group and multiple discriminant analyses might be productively applied. By way of illustration, a brief example of the use of discriminant analysis for data on student politics will be presented. Second, the principal methodological problems attributed to discriminant analysis will be summarized and possible solutions suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Bibb & Dennis W. Roncek, 1976. "Investigating Group Differences," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 4(3), pages 349-379, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:somere:v:4:y:1976:i:3:p:349-379
    DOI: 10.1177/004912417600400304
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. All Paydarfar, 1974. "Differential life-styles between migrants and nonmigrants: A case study of the city of Shiraz, Iran," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 11(3), pages 509-520, August.
    2. Kornberg, Allan & Frasure, Robert C., 1971. "Policy Differences in British Parliamentary Parties," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 65(3), pages 694-703, September.
    3. Richard Melton, 1963. "Some remarks on failure to meet assumptions in discriminant analyses," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 28(1), pages 49-53, March.
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