TY - JOUR
T1 - Respondent non-cooperation in surveys and diaries
T2 - An analysis of item non-response and panel attrition
AU - Lee, Eunkyu
AU - Hu, Michael Y.
AU - Toh, Rex S.
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - This paper analyses the impact of questionnaire design and length of participation on item non-response and panel attrition. Based upon the results of previous studies, the authors propose a framework that involves the mediating variables of participation fatigue and level of difficulty. From this framework, they develop a set of hypotheses on item non-response and panel attrition, which then are tested using a large database collected by AT&T. The results show that difficult questions in surveys and diaries lead to higher rates of item non-response. The study also finds that participation fatigue causes increased item non-response and, eventually, panel attrition. Thus, high initial rates of item non-response are warning signs for high subsequent attrition. However, those who stay on the diary panel do not necessarily show increasing rates of item non-response over time, because the effect of increasing participation fatigue is counterbalanced by the impact of decreasing difficulty, caused by answering the same questions repeatedly. In contrast, it was also found that because the diary panel increasingly comprises people who are relatively attrition-resistant, the rate of attrition decreases over time.
AB - This paper analyses the impact of questionnaire design and length of participation on item non-response and panel attrition. Based upon the results of previous studies, the authors propose a framework that involves the mediating variables of participation fatigue and level of difficulty. From this framework, they develop a set of hypotheses on item non-response and panel attrition, which then are tested using a large database collected by AT&T. The results show that difficult questions in surveys and diaries lead to higher rates of item non-response. The study also finds that participation fatigue causes increased item non-response and, eventually, panel attrition. Thus, high initial rates of item non-response are warning signs for high subsequent attrition. However, those who stay on the diary panel do not necessarily show increasing rates of item non-response over time, because the effect of increasing participation fatigue is counterbalanced by the impact of decreasing difficulty, caused by answering the same questions repeatedly. In contrast, it was also found that because the diary panel increasingly comprises people who are relatively attrition-resistant, the rate of attrition decreases over time.
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U2 - 10.1177/147078530404600306
DO - 10.1177/147078530404600306
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:3342978848
SN - 1470-7853
VL - 46
SP - 311-326+386-388
JO - International Journal of Market Research
JF - International Journal of Market Research
IS - 3
ER -