Thank you for sharing additional context and perspective. Follow up questions can help uncover implicit assumptions and gain deeper insight.

1. winter semester 2013/2014
VIGNETTES
attitudinal survey research
JAKUB RŮŽIČKA
jameslittlerose@gmail.com
cz.linkedin.com/in/littlerose

2. Vignette

3. In a broad sense
anthropology
criminology
medical science
(& clinical
vignettes)
psychology
education
...
The vignette is a “thick description”
(Geertz, 1973) revealing the pathic
qualities of a tangible moment
perceived by the researcher.
Researchers must be mindful that
the selection of these moments is an
act of signification driven by their
own directed attention, which might
change while working with the data
(protocols, conversations, photos,
documents).

4. Outline

5. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

6. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

7. What is a vignette in
survey research?
& examples

8. The foundations of a vignette in 1970s & 1980s
(...) “The third generation, starting to emerge in the late
1980s, deals with data that are neither cross-tabulations nor
data matrices, either because they have a different form,
such as texts or narratives, or because dependence is a
crucial aspect, as with spatial or social network data.“ (...)
Statistics in Sociology, 1950-2000 (1999)

9. What is a vignette?
A vignette is a sort of "illustration" in words. In survey research, a vignette question describes an event,
happening, circumstance, or other scenario, the wording of which often is experimentally controlled by the
researcher and at least one of the different versions of the vignette is randomly assigned to different subsets of
respondents. For example, imagine a vignette that describes a hypothetical crime that was committed, and the
respondents are asked closed-ended questions to rate how serious they consider the crime to be and what
sentence a judge should assign to the perpetrator. The researcher could experimentally alter the wording of
the vignette by varying six independent variables: the gender, race, and age of both the victim and perpetrator.
If two ages (e.g., 16 and 53), three races (Asian, black, and white) and both genders (female and male) were
varied for both the victim and perpetrator
Vignettes consist of stimuli presented to research participants. Their purpose is to selectively portray
aspects of reality to which participants are asked to respond. They take many forms, including written and
spoken narratives, visual imagery, video, and sound. Like any research method, vignettes address clearly
defined research questions, and their form and application will be directed by the research questions posed,
the topics under study, and the kinds of participant groups involved. The simplicity of scenarios can help to
identify, clarify, and disentangle the complexities of real-world processes
Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods (2008)

10. Indirect technique (here: disguised gender)
It seems that last month, Karl (Kathy) Michaels was away
visiting relatives for a few days, leaving the two Michaels
youngsters in the care of their mother (father), Kathy
(Karl). MIS. (MI.) Michaels, however, took the opportunity to
rendezvous with her (his) secret lover, leaving the two
children, Mark (5) and Tommy (3), as she (he) had
apparently done on several such occasions. This time,
however, fear and hunger after many hours of neglect drove
the Michaels children to the streets in search of their
wayward parent. A pair of city residents found the children
wandering in the street almost 3 miles from the Michaels
home. The police were called in, and in the process of
reuniting the children and their mother (father), the whole
story came out. “I don’t see that what I did was so terrible,”
Kathy (Karl) told an obviously upset spouse.
WOULD YOU AGREE THAT
MRS. (MR.) MICHAELS IS A
POOR PARENT? (CIRCLE ONE)
STRONGLY DISAGREE
1234567
STRONGLY AGREE
Contrastive Vignette Technique: An indirect Methodology Designed to Address Reactive Social Attitude Measurement (1980)

11. Another example
This exploratory study reports a first attempt to measure general family status in an urban setting,
and further, to do this in an experimental way. The tool investigated is the vignette, a plain-language
description of a family containing a measured amount of information. Respondents are asked to read the
description and answer a number of status-relevant questions about the family described. The effects on
status of each variable investigated may be measured by creating a second vignette on the same family,
changing the value of the variable investigated, giving the two forms to two randomly selected groups,
and comparing the status scores resulting from the two “treatments.” The technique was applied here to
five family related variables and appeared to yield valid data.
Marvin Silver, 34, and his wife Sheila, 31, have been married two years. They have just moved into their
first home in Wellesley, Massachusetts. They met as students in business school. Mr. Silver has just
been appointed assistant administrator of a small Boston hospital. The Silvers have a one-year-old
daughter (who is a victim of cerebral palsy). Mrs. Silver does not work, but she does volunteer jobs
for the Crippled Children’s Fund.
The Vignette as an Experimental Approach to the Study of Social Status: An Exploratory Study (1972)

12. Question example
Which TWO of the
following
would
you most expect
the members of
this family to mix
with socially?
Which TWO are
the least likely to
mix with socially?
(Mark them M for
most and L for
least.)
train conductor
architect
accountant
research chemist
electrician
barber
assembly line worker
commercial artist
owner of a grocery store
The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (2008)

13. Battery of questions
This
family
shops carefully
1234567
shops impulsively
tends to save extra money
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 tends to spend entire salary
pays cash for all purchases
1234567
buys on installment
attends church regularly
1234567
does not attend church
reads many books
1234567
does not read
...
The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (2008)

14. Vignettes in
qualitative research
(and in quantitative as well)

15. The use of vignettes in qualitative research
vignettes
may be
used for
three
main
purposes
in social
research
to allow actions in context to be explored
to clarify people’s judgements
to provide a less personal and therefore less
threatening way of exploring sensitive topics.
The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research (1999)

16. Qualitative usage
using
vignettes
within the
qualitative
paradigm
Ice breaker
Tapping general attitudes and beliefs
Multi-method approach
Sensitive topics
Comparing perceptions of disparate groups
Closing the interview
The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research (1999)

17. General usage
Vignettes have
the potential to
explore
meanings and
interpretations
not easily
accessible
through other
methods.
Exploring general attitudes and beliefs
Asking questions
Context
Multi-method approach
Some researchers have employed vignettes as an icebreaker
Sensitive topics
Authenticity
Compensating for lack of personal experience
Using vignettes in qualitative research (1999)

18. Vignette typology
constantvariablevalue vignette
(CVVV)
method
all respondents read identical vignettes, which is a correlational method for assessing intergroup
differences in judgments
factorial
vignette
studies
combine survey methodologies with an experimental research design, and allow researchers to
examine subjects’ reactions to hypothetical scenarios (vignettes) while controlling for variables within
the scenarios; slightly different versions of the vignettes are randomly assigned to respondents
uncontrolled respondent projections (different respondents = different interpretations)
evaluation process unmeasured (just outcomes, not processes)
social desirability bias
after first assessing the suitability of a factorial vignette design to the topic, researcher should settle on
the number of variables according to budget constraints, and then craft realistic vignettes with
multiple versions according to the number of variables

19. Vignette typology
“In areas where theory is weak or there exists
poorly developed empirical work, the justification
for adopting the experimental stance is
dubious.“
Reproducing Naturally Occuring Stories: Vignettes In Survey Research (1982)

20. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

21. Implementation

22. The use of vignettes in qualitative research
implementation
stories must appear plausible and real to participants
stories need to avoid depicting eccentric characters and disastrous events, and
should instead reflect ‘mundane’ occurrences
vignettes need to contain sufficient context for respondents to have an
understanding about the situation being depicted, but be vague enough to ‘force’
participants to provide additional factors which influence their decisions
participant’s ability to engage with the story may be enhanced if they have
personal experience of the situation described
vignettes must be presented in an appropriate format (written vs. video narratives)
The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research (1999)

23. Implementation (other recommendations)
Other Brevity
characteristics
that vignettes
should follow Use of respondents’
(Morrison) words
Ambiguity
respondents must grab
the situation in a few
words of sentences
to avoid respondents'
confusion
to find out how
ambiguous situations are
likely to be interpreted
Use of Vignettes in business statistics in testing a new definition of the enterprise (2012)

24. Designing vignette studies in marketing
business
researchers
argue that
vignettebased studies
are superior
to directquestionbased studies
because
vignettes
provide greater realism
supply standardized stimuli to all respondents, which enhances
internal validity, measurement reliability, and ease of replication
improve construct validity by focusing respondent attention upon
specific features of the research question
bypass difficulties (e.g., time, expense) of studying real
business decisions
reduce yea-saying/social desirability bias
enhance respondent involvement & dramatize issues
Designing Vignette Studies in Marketing (2012)

25. Designing Vignette Studies in Marketing
Vignette make believable
design
issues
make adequately but not
overly detailed
1) select the appropriate method (i.e., CVVVs versus factorial survey)
2) tailor their questions to their vignettes,
3) ensure that all relevant variables are covered,
4) develop and use an adequate number of vignettes,
5) control and account for social desirability bias,
6) survey the appropriate respondent population,
make tone consistent
with research
question(s)
7) fit vignettes to respondents,
8) apply conjoint analysis techniques within a ‘theory and practice’ framework,
9) make vignettes believable,
make manipulated
variable(s) obvious
10) make vignettes adequately but not overly detailed,
11) make the tone of the vignettes consistent with their research question(s),
guard against framing
effects (precise wording)
12) make the manipulated variable(s) obvious, and
13) guard against framing effects
Designing Vignette Studies in Marketing (2012)

26. Assumptions
& issues

27. Assumption
An interviewee’s response to a vignette may well
carry some predictive power in respect of how
they would behave if they were to be subsequently
presented with a similar, ‘real-life’ event.
Putting it in context: the use of vignettes in qualitative interviewing (2010)

28. Issues
participants may initially provide socially desirable
responses and only after probing will they reveal how they
truly believe they would respond to the situation
it is important that the stories presented in the vignettes are
readily understood, are internally consistent and not too
complex
in some circumstances it may be desirable to include a
control vignette to see if any significant differences
emerge
The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research (1999)

29. Issues
Hughes
(1998)
“We do not know enough about the relationship
between vignettes and real life responses to be
able to draw parallels between the two.“
possible
solution
the recent inclusion of vignettes in multi-method
approaches
may
clarify
some
of
these
methodological issues by helping to understand the
extent to which abstract responses relate to
actions in everyday life
Considering the Vignette Technique and its Application to a Study of Drug Injecting and HIV Risk and Safer Behaviour (1998)

30. Social desirability bias
first-person
third-person
Designing Vignette Studies in Marketing (2012)

31. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

32. Case studies
results

33. Student judgments about dating violence
Survey vignette methodology was employed to investigate student beliefs about what
constitutes abusive behaviors in dating relationships.
multiple regression analysis / random, stratified sample was drawn from among students at a
large university in the Northeast / 15 vignettes / questionnaire / about 300 responses /
individual & situational factors
“Significant predictors of abuse judgments were nature of the aggressive act and
victim’s gender and sexual orientation. More severe acts of aggression, female victims,
gay and lesbian victims, a history of violence in the relationship, injurious outcome, male
perpetrator, and alcohol consumption significantly increased abusiveness ratings.“
Student Judgments about Dating Violence: A Factorial Vignette Analysis (1999)

34. Student motivations to cheat
103
undergraduate
college
students
This study uses students’ evaluations of a hypothetical situation to assess their
beliefs about other students’ decisions to cheat on an exam. Participants read a
vignette describing an examination in which the protagonist has the
opportunity to cheat. The description of the vignette’s protagonist was
manipulated with respect to his perceived competence in the course and the
source (intrinsic or extrinsic) of his motivation. In addition, students rated their
own likelihood of cheating in the hypothetical situation. Their self-reported
motivation and actual cheating behavior were assessed as well.
Vignette results indicate main effects for both competence and motivation, with
high competence and intrinsic motivation leading to lower expected rates of
cheating. A three-way interaction among the participants’ gender, motivation and
competence is also evident. As these results are consistent with available theory,
support is provided for both the theory and the experimental method.
Evaluating the Motivation of Other Students to Cheat: A Vignette Experiment (2004)

35. Case studies
methodology & outcomes

36. Using vignettes in awareness and attitudinal
research
The vignette approach offers a
number of benefits:
(1) flexibility that allows the
researcher to design an
instrument uniquely responsive
to a specific topic;
(2) enjoyment and creativity
for the informant;
and (3) depersonalization that
encourages an informant to
think beyond his or her own
circumstances
By employing the vignette
approach, we avoided prestuctured
questionnaires that often contain
investigator bias while
encouraging topical focus
unavailable in most 'grand tour
questions'. We provide a description
of and evidence for how this vignette
approach circumvented frequently
encountered problems in awareness
and attitudinal research, while more
richly capturing the voices of the
informants.
Using vignettes in awareness and attitudinal research (2000)

37. Study of drug injecting and HIV risk and safer behaviour
methodology
previous research ►storyline (previous research & pre-research)
► literacy levels & vocabulary (adjusted to respondents)
tips & tricks
researchers need to point out their interest in what would happen in reality
facilitating
e.g. ‘Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?’
differences
real life X vignette responses = would X should responses
combining the vignette technique with indirect observation
reduction of
social desirable
reponses
follow-up questions
‘What would happen in real life?’
‘Why do you think she might have do that?’
Considering the Vignette Technique and its Application to a Study of Drug Injecting and HIV Risk and Safer Behaviour (1998)

38. Follow-ups
Researcher: Ben lent Jim the works. Ben's solicitor manages to get him off early
and Ben leaves prison. When lien gets out he starts to see Jo again. Would
anything change when they have sex?
Robert: Probably not. no. I don't think they would.
Researcher: Would he be concerned about anything?
Robert: I know a lien, his name isn't Ben. but I know a and Ben wasn't into anything like this till he went
to jaill and he met all these Petes and Jims. In fact he'd go looking for Petes and Jims in the jaill so he
could get his injecting. And then, when he did get out you know, he told people like yourself and other
people that knew what he was doing with Petes and Jims and said don't do anything because if my
girlfriend finds out' and I know full well he's slept with his girlfriend and not said anything and his girlfriend
still doesn't know. So probably Ben, you know, would carry on and not say anything, he wouldn't want Jo
to know what he’s done in prison.
Considering the Vignette Technique and its Application to a Study of Drug Injecting and HIV Risk and Safer Behaviour (1998)

39. Study of drug injecting and HIV risk and safer behaviour
participants
drew on the
experiences of
peers (and/or
their own
experiences) in
order to bring
meaning to
and to
interpret the
vignette
respondents can easily interpret the
vignette if he or she has direct experience
maintaining interest & attention
a need to get a respondent ‘back on
track‘ from time to time
Considering the Vignette Technique and its Application to a Study of Drug Injecting and HIV Risk and Safer Behaviour (1998)

40. Culture differences
“Western template“
Vignette Methodology and Culture-Relevance: Lessons Learned through a Project on Successful Aging with Iranian Immigrants to Sweden (2009)

41. Cultural differences
The vignette technique was
used in a cross-cultural
comparative study of the
delivery of personal social
services in the United
Kingdom and Sweden. In this
article we discuss the major
premises of using the vignette
technique in cross-cultural
comparative social research.
In total, 247 vignettes were
collected, 165 in Orebro,
Sweden and 82 in the United
Kingdom
The vignettes were filled in by
social workers working in the
sector of child and family care.
Our basic premise that the social world is
becoming more and more globalized
leads us to seek uniqueness among
uniformities. In such a research context,
the vignette technique is an adequate
instrument of data collection for the
purpose of comparing the delivery of
personal social services in the United
Kingdom and Sweden
How to use the vignette technique in cross-cultural social work research (1994)

42. Disproval of questionnaire survey results
Using a two-part instrument consisting of eight vignettes and twenty
character traits, the study sampled 141 employees of a mid-west
financial firm regarding their predispositions to prefer utilitarian or
formalist forms of ethical reasoning. In contrast with earlier studies,
we found that these respondents did not prefer utilitarian
reasoning.
An Empirical Study of Ethical Predispositions (1996)

43. Job resources at work (another disproval)
To investigate employees’ beliefs about the availability, relevance, and use of matching and non-matching job resources in
different types of demanding situations at work, a quasi-experimental survey study with vignettes was developed. Specifically,
employees were presented three hypothetical situations at work (i.e. ‘vignettes’), representing a cognitively, an emotionally,
and a physically demanding job. For each separate vignette, employees had to imagine themselves in the hypothetical situation
at work. Subsequently, they were asked to assess the relevance, the availability, and the use of three types of job resources (i.e.
five items representing cognitive job resources, five items representing emotional job resources, and five items representing
physical job resources) in the hypothetical situation concerned.
The databases were
merged to create a
sample of 217 Dutch
human service
employees.
The multivariate tests of
the three repeated
measures MANOVAs
it was shown that there generally seems to be a dominant role for emotional job
resources in the job stress process, whereas the role of physical job
resources and, to a lesser extent, cognitive job resources appears much
weaker and mainly restricted to corresponding types of job demands
The role of matching job resources in different demanding situations at work: A vignette study (2010)

44. Vignettes and respondent debriefings for
questionnaire design and evaluation
two methods,
vignettes and
respondent
debriefing
questions, can be
used to identify
measurement
problems and craft
and test
questionnaire
designs to address
them
respondent debriefing and vignettes do not
eliminate all the surprises involved in questionnaire
design and pretesting, but they can help a
designer better understand and predict the nature
and underpinnings of questionnaire effects
vignettes and debriefing questions can be used to
evaluate alternative questionnaires
Vignettes and Respondent Debriefings for Questionnaire Design and Evaluation (2006)

45. Vignettes and Respondent Debriefings for
Questionnaire Design and Evaluation
Debriefing
Question
sensitivity
Confidence
(in respondents
own answers)
Failure of metamemory (quick responses)
Recall interference (projections of previous questions)
Fatigue and negative response set (long batteries)
Mnemonic failure (context needed to recall information)
Mental
Processes
Selective reporting (widely reported events prone to be answered ‘yes‘)
Vignettes and Respondent Debriefings for Questionnaire Design and Evaluation (2006)

46. Scale development (/pre-research) X Scale evaluation
The Suicide Attitude Vignette
Experience (SAVE scale) consists
of 10 vignettes which describe
different situations leading to
attempted suicide
The target figures described in the
10 vignettes are alternately male
and female
Sex differences were found for total sympathy
with females scoring higher.
Overall this study found support for the validity
and reliability of the SAVE scale.
administered to 198 twelfth-grade
students
factor analyses of the SAVE scale
three factors for both forms:
sympathy, empathy, and agree.
The suicide attitude vignette experience: A method for measuring adolescent attitudes toward suicide (1984)

47. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

48. Biases
& limitations

49. SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research
Methods
Methodological debate on vignettes focuses on the differences between what people might actually
do in real-life situations and responses elicited from selective representations of real life
featured in the ‘’vignette world." Critiques of the method, including that of Parkinson and Manstead
(1993). argue that vignette data can be understood only within the context of people's
responses to particular scenarios and do not allow generalization to understanding real life.
Other commentators, such as Loman and Larkin ( 1976). suggest that some vignette forms, such
as video and film, relate better to real life than others, such as written narratives.
Notwithstanding, vignettes play a valuable role in augmenting insights into the social world and arc
well suited to multimethod research. They contribute toward understanding people’s perceptions.
beliefs, attitudes, and behavior throughout the social sciences.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods (2003)

50. The effective use of vignettes in social and nursing
research (desk research)
-
+
• difference between real life processes
and vignette scenarios
• vignettes cannot completely capture the
reality of people's lives
• the extent to which findings are
generalizable outside of specific
vignette situations
• important to consider their suitability for
particular participant groups
• vignettes can be used to generate a
sound data-base relatively quickly and
cost effectively
• where there are difficulties in
accessing participant groups and
where ethical problems are paramount
• focused uniform response base that can
be used whether or not participants
have detailed knowledge of the topics
under consideration
• difficult or sensitive topics
The application of vignettes in social and nursing research (2001)

51. First equals most important?
Order effects in vignette-based measurement
research
questions
Does the order in which characteristics are presented in the
vignette affect respondents’ judgments?
Does this affect research conclusions?
Under which conditions are order effects mostly likely to occur?
methodology
literature in cognitive psychology & survey methodology
vignettes describing full-time employees
web survey of 300 students
regression models & factorial survey
First equals most important? Order effects in vignette-based measurement (2012)

52. First equals most important?
Order effects in vignette-based measurement
For respondents with strong attitudes (e.g. experts on a topic), there appears to be
little risk of order effects.
The order however only matters when the vignettes are complex, that is, when
employees are described with 12 rather than 8 different characteristics – or when
respondents are asked two questions about each vignette rather than just one.
Order effects are more likely for respondents who have little knowledge or weak
attitudes about the topic the vignettes are describing.
Contrary to expectations respondents’ cognitive ability did not appear to matter.
First equals most important? Order effects in vignette-based measurement (2012)

53. Using the vignette method in formative evaluation
multiple
vignettes
decisions
about the
timing of data
collections
Using the Vignette Method in Formative Evaluation (1993)

54. Evaluating the validity of self-reported deviant behavior
using vignette analyses
In this paper, the validity of vignette
analyses of various forms of deviant
behavior in the presence of opportunities
is analyzed on the basis of ideas derived
from cognitive psychology. Abelson’s Script
Theory together with insights into human
memory of visual and verbal information,
allow the assumption that vignette
analyses using visual stimuli are valid
measures of deviant behavior in particular.
The study includes an empirical
examination of these ideas (n=450).
Nonparticipant observations and
vignette analyses with visual and verbal
material were carried out with regard to
three forms of deviant behavior occurring
in the presence of opportunities presenting
themselves in everyday life.
What prompted this study was an objection to the
idea of using vignette analyses to measure actual
behavior.
Data analyses yielded the result that frequencies of
deviant behavior were related to the techniques
of data collection under consideration. Especially
vignette analyses of the return of ‘lost letters’ that
use both visual and verbal stimuli overestimate
‘actual’ (i.e. observed) return rates.
Evaluating the Validity of Self-Reported Deviant Behavior Using Vignette Analyses (2007)

55. CVVM X Experimental
By systematically varying the
levels of theoretically important
vignette characteristics a large
population of different vignettes
is typically available - too large
to be presented to each
respondent. Therefore, each
respondent gets only a
subset of vignettes. These
subsets may either be
randomly selected in following
the tradition of the factorial
survey or systematically
selected according to an
experimental design.
We show that these strategies in selecting vignette
sets have strong implications for the analysis and
interpretation of vignette data. Random selection
strategies result in a random confounding of effects
and heavily rely on the assumption of no interaction
effects.
In
contrast,
experimental
strategies
systematically confound interaction effects with main
or set effects, thereby preserving a meaningful
interpretation of main and important interaction
effects. Using a pilot study on attitudes towards
immigrants we demonstrate the implementation and
analysis of a confounded factorial design.
Experimental Vignette Studies in Survey Research (2010)

56. The problem of interpretation in vignette
methodology in research with young people
young people do not have
fully developed
personality
higher influence of
collective (as opposed to
personal) repertoire of
‘desirable‘ behavior
The problem of interpretation in vignette methodology in research with young people (2012)

57. Difficulties include problems establishing reliability &
validity, especially external validity
Three videos depicting hypothetical heterosexual date rape
incidents were made. Each one was based on one of three variables
that have been shown to have relevance to evaluations of date rape:
“owing”, “leading on” and “alcohol”. The videos were
transcribed into written vignettes. Participants were randomly
assigned to one of six experimental groups, watched one of the
videos or read one of the vignettes, and completed a questionnaire to
assess attribution of blame and the degree to which the situation was
defined as rape. The two methodologies differed significantly for
the alcohol scenario, where participants blamed the victim more
and were less likely to define the situation as rape when the
written vignette methodology was used.
The Effectiveness of the Vignette Methodology: A Comparison of Written and Video Vignettes in Eliciting Responses about Date Rape (2002)

58. Only important research questions (against satisficing)
minimizing the number of
different vignette versions
required for the research
instrument
The Use of Vignettes in Survey Research (1978)
The Context of Satisficing in Vignette Research (2010)

59. Other vignette usage

60. Scenario-based role-playing experiment
for research seeking to understand how and why operations and
supply chain managers, when dealing with complex issues, form
their judgments and preferences or make the decisions that they do
human subjects are recruited to assume an a priori defined role and,
in this role, to then form their judgments and preferences or make
their decisions in response to the scripted information conveyed
The vignette in a scenario-based role-playing experiment (2011)

61. Clinical vignettes
(medicine, education, psychology, neuroscience, ...)
To investigate how
patients and
professionals
view the role of
advice in diabetes
foot care, in order
to inform
educational
practice.
15 patients
Development of positive relationships
with health professionals was important for
patients and encouraged shared
understanding.
Responses suggest that early positive
interactions with appropriately trained
professionals are needed to help patients
assimilate advice into everyday routines.
Meeting the educational needs of people at risk of diabetes-related amputation: a vignette study with patients and professionals (2005)

62. Suicide risk vignettes
37-year-old white female, self-referred. Stated plan is to drive her car off a bridge.
Precipitant seems to be verbal abuse by her boss; after talking to her nightly for hours, he
suddenly refused to talk to her. As a result, patient feels angry and hurt, threatened to kill
herself. She is also angry at her mother, who will not let patient smoke or bring men to their
home. Current alcohol level is .15; patient is confused, repetitive, and ataxic. History reveals a
previous suicide attempt (overdose) 7 years ago, which resulted in hospitalization. After
spending the night at CIC and sobering, patient denies further suicidal intent.
The general idea is that the reporting behaviour of a specific respondent can be
anchored using the way in which that respondent evaluates the health status of
hypothetical vignette persons. After anchoring the reporting behaviour of each individual,
reporting heterogeneity is corrected for and thus cleansed (self-reported) health measures
can be obtained. However, the validity of this vignettes method rests on the two crucial
assumptions of vignette equivalence and response consistency.
Assessment and prediction of suicide (1992)

63. Ethics example
A woman moves here from another country
and is seeking a new physician. She learns about
a local doctor who is from the same country and is
the same religion, and she calls his office to
become a new patient. She speaks with a
member of the office staff and makes an
appointment. Two days later the doctor calls
her and tells her that he does not see female
patients from their culture and religion because of
his religious beliefs. He tells her that a woman
from their culture should only seek care from
female providers, in case her medical condition
requires her to take off her clothes. She realizes
that he must be very religiously conservative, as
this was never an issue in their home country.
Is it ethical for the doctor to refuse to see this
woman?
Would it be acceptable to refuse to see a
patient because of sex? race? religion?
Sexual orientation? type of insurance (private
vs.
Medicaid)?
immigration
status?
occupation? lifestyle?
What principles can guide a physician's
decision about who to see and who to turn
away?
www.smbs.buffalo.edu

64. Vignettes in
survey research
Implementation &
Assumptions
Biases
Conclusions &
SWOT
Case Studies
(Methodology &
Outcomes)

65. Conclusions
summary & discussion

66. SWOT
STRENGTHS
• general & not easily
accessible attitudes &
beliefs
• context & clarification
• sensitive topics
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
• external validity
• blurred extent of
predictive power
(real behavior vs.
depersonalization)
• multi-method
approach
• experimental design
• ice breaker &
debriefing
• cost efficiency
THREATS
• weak theory
• ambiguity, realism &
over-complexity
form of the vignette
(e.g. written vs. video
narrative)
• order effects
• researcher bias
• social desirability bias
• satisficing
• cultural differences
• suitability for particular
participant groups
(e.g. youngsters)

67. winter semester 2013/2014
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
VIGNETTES
attitudinal survey research
JAKUB RŮŽIČKA
jameslittlerose@gmail.com
cz.linkedin.com/in/littlerose