Yeliena Gohli

Methodological principles of the factorial design method (FD) were described by German sociologists Katrin Auspung and Thomas Hinz. In “Factorial Survey Experiments” (2015),  FD method allows us to find both common social principles of judgments and differences of subgroups. Thus, it is intended for a deeper understanding of the principles of judgments of respondents.

The combination of the potential of the FD with the possibilities of social status measuring methods have perspective cognitive potential. Operationalization of social status in terms of FD providet according to Adapted for Ukraine Warner’s Status Characteristics Index. Ukrainian sociologist Yeliena Kovalska adapted W. Warner's index to the conditions of modern empirical research in Ukraine on the example of Kyiv. It consists a wide range of characteristics, but also is calculated by a formula that measures the individual weight of each component. These weights were proposed based on an expert survey, but it should be verified on national survey to measure the significance of the subjective social status characteristics.

All of characteristics of Adapted index can be redesign to factors and scales can be redesign to levels. The method of factorial research assumes the presence in the questionnaire of one or a set of specific questions, which are called "vignettes" and in which a certain situation is formulated, from which the respondent needs to find a way out. As part of our work, we will create vignettes based on the above factors and levels of the adapted Warner index (located in Kyiv). After the sample of vignettes is formed, they should be distributed among the survey participants. There are many different ways to accomplish this, but we will use the R statistical environment. As method we would use web research (using LimeSurvey).