The current study experimentally investigates the differences in data quality between a face-to-face and a web survey. Based on satisficing theory, it was hypothesized that web survey respondents ...would be more likely to satisfice for a multitude of reasons, thereby producing data of lower quality. The data show support for the hypothesis. Web survey respondents were shown to produce a higher "don't know" response rate, to differentiate less on rating scales, and to produce more item nonresponse than face-to-face survey respondents.
Survey designs in which data from different groups of respondents are collected by different survey modes have become increasingly popular. However, such mixed-mode (MM) designs lead to a confounding ...of selection effects and measurement effects (measurement error) caused by mode differences. Consequently, MM data have poor quality. Nevertheless, comparing MM data with data from a comparable single-mode survey allows researchers to measure selection effects and measurement effects separately. The authors develop a method to evaluate mode effects and illustrate this method with data from a Dutch MM experiment within the European Social Survey program. In this experiment, respondents could choose between three modes: a Web survey, a telephone interview, or a face-to-face interview. Mode effects on three political variables are evaluated: interest in politics, perceived complexity of politics, and voter turnout in the last national election.
In models of survey participation, utilitarian individualism can be considered as a relevant social psychological characteristic. Data from a panel survey are used to evaluate the effect of ...utilitarian individualism on the nonresponse of the second wave of a panel. The results show that after controlling for gender, education, political interest, and two indicators of respondent's behavior, people characterized by a high degree of utilitarian individualism are less willing to participate in the interview of the second wave of a panel. The consequences of this selective nonresponse for the measurement of utilitarian individualism are discussed.
In this article a limited model for panel refusals is presented and tested. The model contains only respondent characteristics: respondent's background characteristics, interest in the topic of the ...questionnaire and the respondent's difficulties to perform his or her role adequately. Data from an election panel survey are used to test the model. The results make clear that poorly educated women are more likely to refuse the second interview of an election panel survey. The results also support the basic idea of the model that refusals in a second wave of a panel are more likely to be found among those with low ability to perform the task of a respondent and among those who experienced difficulties in fulfilling their role during the first interview.
Whether, and to what degree, the publication of poll results might influence the opinions of the public is a much-debated subject. While many effect-studies of polls have looked at the voting ...context, this study is an empirical investigation into the effects of poll information on personal opinions and perceptions of collective opinion on five nonelectoral, though politically relevant issues (independence of the Flemish region in Belgium, retirement income, immigration policy, purchasing power, and health-care solidarity). An experimental study was conducted in which poll information was integrated into a survey of a randomly selected group of respondents in order to test the overall impact of poll results on opinions, as well as the differential effects depending on individual characteristics, such as opinion strength, political interest, and perceived poll influence. Furthermore, a two-wave panel design was used to investigate the duration and repeatability of the poll effects. It was successively found in both waves and consistently for all issues that exposure to poll information primarily affected the perceptions of collective opinion, while the personal opinions on political issues remained unaffected. This poll effect on the perceptions of collective opinion was observed not only shortly after being exposed to the poll information, but also three months later.
Measuring Public Opinions About Surveys Loosveldt, Geert; Storms, Vicky
International journal of public opinion research,
04/2008, Letnik:
20, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Respondent's opinions about survey research are regarded as an expression at the individual level of the general survey-taking climate. Based on a review of the research about ‘surveys on surveys’ ...five relevant dimensions of the respondent's opinion about surveys are distinguished: survey enjoyment, survey value, survey cost, survey reliability, and survey privacy. Items related to these aspects are used to develop an ‘Opinions about Survey Scale’. The results of an analysis of the predictive validity of the scale support the expectations based on the theory of planned behavior. Opinions about surveys are associated with the intention to participate in future surveys and with hesitation to fill out the questionnaire of a mail survey. Opinions are not related with participation in a follow-up mail survey. The results of the wave analysis of a mail survey are a clear indication that nonrespondents have more negative opinions about different aspects of surveys. This also means that the measurement of opinions is biased. However, because of this bias it is worthwhile and useful to measure these opinions.
Previous studies (Pearson & Levine, 2003; Joinson & Reips, 2004; Heerwegh, Vanhove, Matthijs, & Loosveldt, 2005; Heerwegh, 2005) showed that personalization improves response to web surveys, but ...concerns have been raised and subtle indications have been found suggesting that personalization might result in more socially desirable responses (Heerwegh et al., 2005; Heerwegh, 2005; Joinson, Woodley, & Reips, 2007). The current study provides a stronger test of the hypothesis that personalization would induce social desirability bias, and secondarily provides an additional test of the effect of personalization on web survey response rates. The study relies on a larger number of survey questions potentially under the influence of social desirability bias than previous research. Moreover, to circumvent some problems encountered in previous research with identifying the socially desirable responses, the current study includes a mixed mode experiment. Adapted from the source document.
When a researcher decides to collect data by means of survey interviews, he or she makes the assumption that all the respondents have sufficient cognitive and communicative skills to execute the ...respondent's role adequately. In this article we validate the explanation that older and less educated respondents are difficult to interview because they do not have sufficient communicative skills. To determine the respondent's cognitive and communicative skills we use behavioral coding of the respondent–interviewer interaction. The analysis makes clear that most respondents have enough skills to accomplish their role as respondents. However, there is a small group of respondents who have insufficient skills. As expected, these difficult-to-interview respondents are older and less educated.
When designing a web questionnaire, various HTML input elements can be used to register respondents’ answers. Two input elements, radio buttons and drop-down boxes, can be regarded as technically ...equivalent because they serve the same purpose—both allowing selection of one answer from a list of response options. However, these input elements are dissimilar in many respects, and there is reason to believe that some people are less familiar with drop-down boxes. By means of two experiments, this study evaluates the effect of the two response formats on data quality. Lower data quality was expected in the drop-down boxes condition than in the radio buttons condition. The data showed that a slight preference for radio buttons might be justified, although both response formats have benefits and drawbacks. The choice between these response formats is not self-evident and needs to be guided by other considerations such as sample composition and survey design.
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