用概念分析指导公共政策定量研究的变量测度——以环境规制强度测度为例

Refining Variable Measurement in Quantitative Public Policy Studies through Concept Analysiss

公共政策定量研究通过揭示影响政策的因素以及政策带来的影响支撑政策的制定和执行,但目前相关研究总体呈现关注数据和方法有余而对变量测度重视不足的特点。定量研究常使用简单的指标测度复杂的现实,这提高了可操作性,但也容易引发测度与概念不一致的问题。如何为定量研究变量测度的指标选择设定约束条件的方法论问题有待进一步的回答。本研究提出了用概念分析提升变量测度效度的分析框架和操作细节,核心包括:根据变量由事物及其属性构成的特点,分别对事物和事物属性进行概念分析;开展概念分析时深入分析概念内涵和外延、辨析相似概念、认识研究视阈差异、反思情境特异性;经由对事物属性进行概念分析梳理测度变量的诸多指标,经由对事物的概念分析形成量化其属性的限制性要求;基于这些要求筛选出测度效度较好的指标,或完善某一测度指标。为阐明方法论,本文援引诸多公共政策定量研究,并以环境规制强度的测度为例作系统阐释。本文所提方法旨在指导定量研究,确保其与理论意涵和中国情境紧密结合。

Quantitative research on public policy has been widely conducted to provide insightful information for policy making and implementation.In this stream of research,the general pattern is that more attention has been paid to the quality of data and the specification of statistical models and less attention has been paid to concepts and their measurement validity.Quite often,simplified indicators are used to measure complicated reality,which ensures the operationalizability of variables but may cause measurement bias.How to improve measurement validity is an important issue to be further explored.This study proposes an approach of using concept analysis to improve measurement validity,and the logic and operational details of this approach is elaborated.Key components include:First,describe variables with objects and their attributes that scholars are interested in,and analyze the concepts of the objects and their attributes,separately;Second,conduct concept analysis through analyzing the connotation and denotation of concepts,differentiating similar concepts,taking into consideration differences in research perspectives,and being ware of contextual specificities;Third,formulate a set of indicators for measuring variables based on the analysis on the concept of its attributes and establish constraints set based on the results of the concept analysis of objects;Finally,using these constrains,evaluate and select indicators that demonstrate superior measurement validity,or enhance a specific measure.To illustrate the methodology and its application,variable measurements in a variety of quantitative studies on public policy are discussed,with a particular focus on understanding the measurement of environmental regulatory stringency.The arguments of this article are conductive to quantitative studies by enabling scholars to take full consideration of the reality of Chinese context in measuring variables.