How do survey respondents decide whether to consent to data linkage?

Publication type

Understanding Society Working Paper Series

Series Number

22021-05

Series

Understanding Society Working Paper Series

Authors

Publication date

December 8, 2021

Abstract:

Linkages between surveys and administrative data provide an important opportunity for social and health research, but such linkages often require the informed consent of respondents. We use experimental data collection across five different samples to study how consent decisions are made. Only about a third of respondents report using a “reflective” decision process, considering the consequences of consent or their trust in the relevant organisations. Many more use an “instinctive” process (such as “gut feeling”). More reflective decision processes are associated with higher rates of consent, greater comprehension of the proposed data linkage and greater confidence in the decision.

Subjects

Notes

PLEASE CITE AS: Burton, J., Couper, M.P., Crossley, T.F., Jäckle, A., and Walzenbach, S. (2025) 'How do survey respondents decide whether to consent to data linkage?', Sociological Methods & Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241251344289

Paper download   Citation  

#547074

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Related Publications

• How do survey respondents decide whether to consent to data linkage?

  1. Jonathan Burton
  2. Mick P. Couper
  3. Thomas F. Crossley
  4. Annette Jäckle
  5. Sandra Walzenbach

  Journal Article
  July 9, 2025