Intergroup context‐sensitive adaptation and validation of the BIAS Map for measuring stereotypes of the Roma in Slovakia: The case for an emic‐etic mixed methods approach

Abstract

AbstractWe report the process of adapting and validating the BIAS Map (Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes) used to measure perceived stereotypes and related social structure, emotions, and behavioral tendencies toward the Roma—Slovakia's most stigmatized ethnic minority group. In two surveys (Studies 1 and 4, n = 705) and group‐based (Study 2, n = 92) and individual (Study 3, n = 12) cognitive interviews, we integrated quantitative reliability, scalability, factor structure analysis, and qualitative inductive thematic analysis. We identified potential problems in the instruments’ ecological validity and explored the limits of intergroup context‐specific interpretation to improve its psychometric properties. Besides developing a more reliable and valid measure, we make an argument for utilizing the emic‐etic mixed methods approach to enhance the intergroup context‐sensitive adaptation and validation procedure of universal measurement instruments in social psychology research.