ERIC Number: EJ1387383
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1364-5579
EISSN: EISSN-1464-5300
Evaluating the Imitation Game as a Method for Comparative Research: A Replication Study Using Imitation Games about Religion
Evans, Robert; Collins, Harry; Weinel, Martin; Lyttleton-Smith, Jennifer; O'Mahoney, Hannah; Wehrens, Rik
International Journal of Social Research Methodology, v26 n3 p249-262 2023
The Imitation Game is a new method and, as such, it is important to show that its results are plausible and replicable. We tested this by conducting Imitation Games on religion in a range of European countries, returning approximately 12 months later to repeat the research. The idea was that non-Christian members of strongly Christian countries would find it easy to pass as members of the practicing majority because Christian beliefs and practices would be ubiquitous. In more secular countries, the expectation was that non-Christians would find it harder to pass as Christian because religious practices are less visible. We show that, despite some anomalous results, the data are consistent with expectations derived from survey data and that the claim to have replicated the results can be supported. We also suggest that our experiences show that questions of replication in the social sciences cannot be resolved by statistical meta-analysis alone.
Descriptors: Religion, Christianity, Religious Factors, Games, Research Methodology, Foreign Countries, Cross Cultural Studies, Data Collection
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Finland; Hungary; Italy; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A