Insuring sample equivalence across internet and paper-and-pencil assessments

Internet-based data collection is becoming an increasingly popular method o f conducting psychological research. A growing number of studies have inves tigated the equivalence of data collected over the Internet and data gather ed using traditional assessment methods. Many of these studies, however, ha ve had methodological limitations such as using nonequivalent comparison gr oups and inappropriate data analytic strategies. In this study, 213 undergr aduate students were randomly assigned to complete attractiveness ratings v ia traditional paper-and-pencil methods or through an Internet site; data w ere analyzed using equivalency testing methodology. Results indicated that mean ratings of physical and sexual attractiveness between the two conditio ns were equivalent for the full sample. However, when examined separately b y respondent gender, ratings of same gender targets were significantly high er for the paper-and-pencil methodology. Implications are discussed. (C) 20 01 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.