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

Internet-based data collection is becoming an increasingly popular method of conducting psychological research. A growing number of studies have investigated the equivalence of data collected over the Internet and data gathered using traditional assessment methods. Many of these studies, however, have had methodological limitations such as using nonequivalent comparison groups and inappropriate data analytic strategies. In this study, 213 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to complete attractiveness ratings via traditional paper-and-pencil methods or through an Internet site; data were analyzed using equivalency testing methodology. Results indicated that mean ratings of physical and sexual attractiveness between the two conditions were equivalent for the full sample. However, when examined separately by respondent gender, ratings of same gender targets were significantly higher for the paper-and-pencil methodology. Implications are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.