This study aims at examining the interaction effect of two different aspects of survey research (interviewer effects and questionnaire design effects) on survey response. The effect of interviewer’s characteristics (race, experience, personality) on survey outcomes – mainly survey participation – has been studied frequently as an important element of face-to-face surveys. Meanwhile, research on survey questionnaire design has examined whether the direction of the response options has an impact on response. Namely, when the response options begin with agreement and finish with disagreement (or vice versa) has been found to relate to the survey answer depending on the type of the question and the mode. This study combines these two areas of research on survey design and examines whether the chemistry between the interviewer and the participant creates a survey interviewing environment in which certain design characteristics of the questionnaire create opportunities for response effects. Using the 2012 Time Series of the American National Election Study, I test the afore-mentioned hypothesis on the setting of the pre-election survey. The same partisanship identification between the interviewer and the participant is considered an important predictor that indicates rapport between the two individuals during the data collection. Additionally, the direction of the response options (agreement first or disagreement first) can be used to reveal whether this questionnaire design characteristic interacts with the rapport or friction between the interviewer and the participant affecting survey response.
Presented by:
Vilma Agalioti (ISER)
Date & time:
June 3, 2015 11:00 am - June 3, 2015 12:00 pm
Venue:
Large Seminar Room (2N2.4.16)
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