Think Aloud, General Probing, Specific Probing, Comprehension Probing.
Seven test persons answered this question with "yes". Six of these respondents have correctly chosen this answer category, as they have already foregone opportunities for career advancement:
- “I have refrained from longer absences in my company, e.g. in other cities. For longer absences I said "no", because family life is already very important to me.“ (TP 10)
- “I have a daughter and that naturally meant that I had to give up professional advancement. Simply because of the smaller time commitment or also local restrictions.“ (TP 13)
- “I have a chance to get a transfer, i.e. to continue my professional training, but because of my mother, who is handicapped, I gave up.“ (TP 15)
Test person 04, however, answers with "Yes", although she has not yet given up:
"I would definitely choose the family. I don't have one now, just my son. When I was on montage [...], I missed my son very much. I haven't had to give it up yet, but I would definitely do it for the family." (TP 04)
Six test subjects stated that they had not yet given up opportunities for career advancement for their families, but would probably do so. All of these respondents correctly interpret the answer category, for example:
- “I wouldn't do it in general, but there are certain situations where I would do it and that's why I tick this box. It can always be that parents fall ill and you have to care for them and then you can no longer just see that you get on in your career. In extreme cases I would do it, but I would also not generally do without professional advancement.“ (TP 05)
- “I haven't done it yet, but I probably would. So if it were more important to the family that I not do it.“ (TP 11)
Both test persons who have chosen the answer category "No, not yet, and I probably wouldn't do it" do not interpret this category in the intended sense. Test person 03 talks about having already worked in the family business and relates heranswer behavior in this and the next question to this activity in the family business, although it emerged in the course of the interview that the test person has already changed jobs and professions several times in her previous life. The respondent's understanding of the question 09 is contrary to the intended understanding:
"I wouldn't actually do that. In order to get on without the family, does that mean? So career is more important than family? No, I would not do that. Family is more important than career. No matter what your job is, even if it's your dream job." (TP 09). So she ticked the "wrong" answer and should actually have ticked "No, ..., but I probably would".
With regard to the question itself, there are two further anomalies. Both test person 05 and test person 14 spontaneously state that they were thinking of their respective partners when they asked the question and that it was not clear from the question whether partnerships were included in the term "family".
Test subjects 06 and 08 (both high school graduates) point out that two questions are actually asked in one, namely whether one has already given up and whether one would do so if necessary. This means that one has to take more time and read the question several times before being able to answer it. Respondents who do not do this may not grasp the complexity of the question and run the risk of choosing a (wrong) answer category prematurely.
In order to find out more about what the respondents understand by "career advancement", this was explicitly asked. The most frequent mentions related to career or professional advancement, followed by further training opportunities, as well as spatial and temporal flexibility, a higher salary or generally a more responsible job with or without management tasks.
