  This study examines opinion instability among individuals from different
ethnic groups (White, Latino, and Asian Americans) by analyzing measurement
errors in survey measures. Using a multi-wave panel dataset of college students
and employing generalizability theory, the study uncovers significant patterns.
The results reveal that White students exhibit higher attitude reliability,
characterized by larger variances in true opinions and smaller measurement
errors. In contrast, Latino and Asian American students display lower attitude
stability, with lower variances in true opinions and higher variances in both
item-specific and measurement errors. Disparities in political socialization
and issue concerns contribute to the observed attitude instability among Latino
and Asian American students. Moreover, Asian American and Latino respondents
require a greater number of survey items to mitigate measurement error compared
to their White counterparts. However, the impact of multiple waves of surveys
on improving reliability is limited for Latino and Asian American students
compared to White students. These findings deepen our understanding of attitude
instability across ethnic groups and underscore the importance of further
research in this area.
