Research with Hispanic Populations (Applied Social Research Methods)

This well-written book can provide a very useful insight into the issues, problems, difficulties, and realities of conducting market and/or consumer research with Hispanic populations. I strongly recommend it as mandatory reading for researchers who have limited or no experience in research with Hispanic subjects in the U.S. and are interested in doing such studies. Furthermore, even experienced researchers in marketing or consumer behavior would find valuable content that would likely enhance their research activities. . . . This book is also timely. Because of the current interest in investigating the roles of culture and/or ethnicity in marketing strategies as well as consumption behaviors, the contribution of this book could be significant. . . The first of the six chapters in the book is labeled ′Hispanics: Who Are They?′ and is a particularly valuable one, both in its content and in its references to helpful literature. . . . The second chapter, ′Issues in Identifying Hispanics,′ covers three important topics. . . . Chapters 4 and 5 . . . are excellent contributions. . . . Just as important, if not more so, is Chapter 5, ′Translation of Data Collection Instruments.′. . . In my opinion, even fully bilingual researchers would benefit from the discussion and references available in this chapter. The difficulties of appropriate translation of research instruments cannot be overstated. The authors provide very good insight and suggestions on how to minimize problems. . . . This chapter on translation techniques would be of value to researchers considering cross-cultural research in more than one language. . . Research With Hispanic Populations is a well-done, concise, to-the-point, richly referenced book. I strongly recommend that marketing and consumer researchers in this area read it before beginning their next research project. --Journal of Marketing Research "The book represents a valuable first step in fulfilling the indicated need. . . . Research on Hispanics is important not only because of their increasing numbers but also to inform public policy and practice relevant to problems arising from low socioeconomic status and cultural margination. . . . The chapter on translations is succinct, knowledgeable, and appropriately qualified. . . . The book′s recommendations . . . are well worth considering. They represent a first step in what, I hope, will become a continuing effort to improve the cultural sensitivity of the accumulating research on Hispanics." --Contemporary Psychology "This book provides an introduction to many basic concerns in the design of research on human populations. Most of the authors′ suggestions seem as important for research with non-Hispanics as for research with Hispanics. The writing is clear, and the examples, mainly drawn from the authors′ own research, are compelling. The level of presentation seems appropriate for introductory courses in sociology or cross-cultural psychology." --Journal of Official Statistics "Research With Hispanic Populations is an important resource. . . . Written by Gerardo Marín and Barbara VanOss Marín, two of the most experienced and respected researchers of Hispanic behavior, the text covers both basic and more specific information in working with Hispanics." --The COSSMHO Reporter "This volume is excellent. It is clear, the level of presentation is just right, it is interesting, well organized, accurate, and thoroughly covers the topic. I highly recommend it and will use it in my cross-cultural psychology class." --Harry Triandis, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign "Now here′s a useful tool that presents you with a wide variety of information aimed at helping you before you sit down to devise a new report, presentation, or strategy." --Minority Markets Alert "Research with Hispanic Populations is essential reading for anyone who studies diverse populations. Written in a clear and concise style, it is the best treatment of issues related to research with individuals of Hispanic origin that I have ever seen. My colleagues and I have found immediate use in the book′s description of possible response effects such as social desirability bias among Hispanic respondents." --Paul Rosenfeld, Navy Personnel Research and Development Center, San Diego "In six short chapters, Gerardo Marín and Barbara VanOss Marín address several unique problems as well as alleged problems of conducting research with Hispanics. The chapter on translation pitfalls is especially thorough and useful. Valuable guidelines and suggestions are offered at the end of each major section, and numerous research illustrations liven the text. The authors have extensive experience in research with Hispanics, and the bibliography is an excellent listing of studies about Hispanics. Most appropriate for psychology/social science research methods collections in academic libraries. Upper-division undergraduates and above." --Choice "[The authors] have written a concise and surprisingly comprehensive overview of the research process and introduction to cross-cultural research. The book is an especially valuable resource for researchers doing survey studies." --Contemporary Sociology When studying Hispanic populations, can researchers employ the same methods as those used when examining Anglo-Saxon populations? Increasingly, the answer to this question is no. Researchers addressing the needs of Hispanic populations are discovering the inherent methodological limitations of approaches designed for Anglo-Saxon populations. Now, in Research with Hispanic Populations, Marin and Marin explore ways to overcome the problems researchers may encounter in collecting and interpreting data generated from Hispanic studies. Adopting a problem solving approach, they discuss ways in which to translate instruments, outline culturally appropriate research procedures, and show how to measure significant moderating variables such as acculturation, language preference, and generation.