Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Belief system structure can be investigated by estimating belief systems as networks of interacting political attitudes, but we do not know if these estimates are replicable. In a sample of 31 countries from the World Values Survey (N = 52,826), I find that countries’ belief system networks are relatively replicable in terms of connectivity, proportion of positive edges, some centrality measures (e.g., expected influence), and the estimates of individual edges. Betweenness, closeness, and strength centrality estimates are more unstable. Belief system networks estimated with smaller samples or in countries with more unstable political systems tend to be less replicable than networks estimated with larger samples in stable political systems. Although these analyses are restricted to the items available in the World Values Survey, they show that belief system networks can be replicable, but that this replicability is related to features of the study design and the political system.
Highlights
Belief system structure can be investigated by estimating belief systems as networks of interacting political attitudes, but we do not know if these estimates are replicable
After estimating the belief system network, the teams use centrality metrics from network science to identify the most central components of the belief system in the population (e.g., Boutyline & Vaisey, 2017; Brandt et al, 2019) or compare belief system density between different subgroups (e.g., Fishman & Davis, 2019). These teams focused on centrality and density, other edge, node and network characteristics could be used to understand the structure of political belief systems, just as they have been used to understand the structure of other psychological constructs
This allows me to estimate the replicability of belief system networks estimated at Wave 3 by comparing it with those estimated at Waves 4 and 5, and the replicability of belief system networks estimated at Wave 4 by comparing it with those estimated at Wave 5
Summary
Belief system structure can be investigated by estimating belief systems as networks of interacting political attitudes, but we do not know if these estimates are replicable. These emerging methods rooted in network science allow researchers to go beyond pairs of associations to analyze the entire belief system simultaneously (rather than just two or three nodes at a time) This allows individual cultural and economic beliefs, such as those used by Malka and colleagues, to be situated with the other beliefs and identities in the belief system (Boutyline & Vaisey, 2017; Brandt et al, 2019). This approach assumes that nodes that are positively connected want to be like one another, Art. 24, page 2 of 15
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
