The General Inquirer: A Computer Approach to Content Analysis.

Abstract

INTRODUCES AND DEFINES A MODEL OF CONTENT ANALYSIS. APPLICATION IN VARIOUS FIELDS ARE COMPARED AND TECHNIQUES USED WITH, OR AS ALTERNATES TO, CONTENT ANALYSIS ARE DISCUSSED. THE REQUIREMENTS OF CONTENT ANALYSIS ARE CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO OTHER COMPUTER "TEXT PROCESSING" APPLICATIONS AND THE RATIONALE AND PROCEDURES OF THE GENERAL INQUIRER SYSTEM (A SET OF COMPUTER PROGRAMS) ARE PRESENTED. IMPORTANT ISSUES IN CATEGORY CONSTRUCTION ARE DISCUSSED, AND 3 SYSTEMS ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. PROBLEMS OF RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY IN CONTENT ANALYSIS ARE CONSIDERED, VIEWING THE GENERAL INQUIRER AS A MEASURING INSTRUMENT. A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS IS PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED: SMALL GROUPS, POLITICAL SCIENCE, PERSONALITY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES, PRODUCT IMAGE, AND LITERARY CRITICISM. INDEXES ARE INCLUDED. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)