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In times of declining response rates and over-surveying, improving our understanding of why people participate in surveys is more important than ever. Previous research showed that online panel participants have intrinsic (e.g., topic interest, altruism) and extrinsic (e.g., incentives) participation reasons. Our study expands this research by implementing an experiment using two common forms of survey measurement: ranking and rating. The experiment was fielded in a professional respondents' sample from a German online panel (n = 407) and in an address-based sample (mail and online) of German non-professional respondents (n = 1,137). Besides extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, the experiment included various study design features (i.e., mode, length, data security) and the mood during the time of contact as possible reasons for participation. The results confirm previous findings regarding the motivations of online panelists but also show important differences between professional and non-professional respondents. Specifically, the main participation reasons of professionals are topic interest (intrinsic) and incentives (extrinsic), while non-professionals are primarily motivated by intrinsic reasons (topic interest and purpose of study). This notion is also supported by the Latent Class Analyses, which showed that three of the four classes for professional respondents had a high probability of naming incentives as one of their main reasons for survey participation, whereas none of the four non-professional clusters rated incentives highly. The differences between the two samples highlight that professional panel members have different motivation structures than participants in general population surveys. This may undermine generalizability, but it also provides opportunities for targeted recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since cash lotteries are frequently employed to stimulate participation in web surveys sampled from online access panels, the present study assesses the research gap concerning the relevance of respondents knowing their odds of winning these cash lotteries. Prior studies on the use of cash lotteries have not provided the odds of winning to respondents, which may have obscured their effects. Based on an experiment in which we varied the number of prizes, the size of prizes, and whether respondents knew the odds of winning, we replicated the findings of prior studies on the use of cash lotteries. Most importantly, our findings show that knowing the odds of winning cash lotteries did not affect the participation in our survey and did not influence the effects of other survey design elements. In our study, we provide survey practitioners with recommendations on the use of cash lotteries in online access panels and close with an outlook for future research on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As response rates continue to decline, the need to learn more about the survey participation process remains an important task for survey researchers. Search engine data may be one possible source for learning about what information some potential respondents are looking up about a survey when they are making a participation decision. In the present study, we explored the potential of search engine data for learning about survey participation and how it can inform survey design decisions. We drew on freely available Google Trends (GT) data to learn about the use of Google Search with respect to our case study: participation in the Family Research and Demographic Analysis (FReDA) panel survey. Our results showed that some potential respondents were using Google Search to gather information on the FReDA survey. We also showed that the additional data obtained via GT can help survey researchers to discover topics of interest to respondents and geographically stratified search patterns. Moreover, we introduced different approaches for obtaining data via GT, discussed the challenges that come with these data, and closed with practical recommendations on how survey researchers might utilize GT data to learn about survey participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low survey participation from online panel members is a key challenge for market and social researchers. We identify 10 key drivers of panel members' online survey participation from a qualitative study and then determine empirically using a stated choice experiment the relative importance of each of those drivers at aggregate and segment levels. We contribute to knowledge on survey participation by (a) eliciting key drivers of survey participation by online panel members, (b) determining the relative importance of each driver, and (c) accounting for heterogeneity across panel members in the importance assigned to drivers. Findings offer immediate practical guidance to market and social researchers on how to increase participation in surveys using online panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millennials have been the focus of quite some research because of their differences with older cohorts. Besides, young respondents have been considered as a hard target population for surveys. However, to our knowledge, no research has compared the levels and types of survey participation of the Millennials versus the older generations. Using a dataset of 1,570,301 panelists of an opt-in online panel in eight countries from Europe, Latin America, and North America, we show that Millennials differ from older cohorts in terms of survey participation. Millennials show lower participation rates than older cohorts. Moreover, they present significantly higher proportions of surveys answered using smartphones. However, differences across cohorts in terms of break-offs and survey evaluation are mainly nonsignificant and/or nonmeaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphone apps are increasingly being used for population-based survey research. Recruiting people to sign up for an app-based survey is, however, less straightforward compared to traditional surveys, which risks inflating nonresponse as well as the potential for nonresponse bias. By means of an experiment with over 44,000 recently registered job seekers, we present causal evidence on the effects of using different contact modes (email, postal letter, or preannouncement letter and email) on participation rates in an app-based panel survey. Further, using detailed administrative register data, we investigate whether contact modes differentially affect nonresponse bias. We also examine whether the mode of making contact has a lasting effect on panel participation rates and participation rates in momentary assessments collected using the experience sampling method (ESM). Overall, the preannouncement letter and email invitation strategy maximizes participation compared to stand-alone letters and emails, which do not differ significantly in terms of participation rates. Stand-alone letters and the preannouncement approach perform better than emails when it comes to panel participation and submitted ESM episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence from the household survey literature shows a declining response rate trend in recent decades, but whether a similar trend exists for voluntary establishment surveys is an understudied issue. This article examines trends in nonresponse rates and nonresponse bias over a period of 17 years in the annual cross-sectional refreshment samples of the IAB Establishment Panel in Germany. In addition, rich administrative data about the establishment and employee composition are used to examine changes in nonresponse bias and its two main components, refusal and noncontact, over time. Our findings show that response rates dropped by nearly a third: from 50.2% in 2001 to 34.5% in 2017. Simultaneously, nonresponse bias increased over this period, which was mainly driven by increasing refusal bias whereas noncontact bias fluctuated relatively evenly over the same period. Nonresponse biases for individual establishment and employee characteristics did not show a distinct pattern over time with few exceptions. Notably, larger establishments participated less frequently than smaller establishments over the entire period. This implies that survey organizations may need to put more effort into recruiting larger establishments to counteract nonresponse bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals throughout the world are being recruited into studies to examine the social impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While previous literature has illustrated how research participation can impact distress and wellbeing, to the authors' best knowledge no study has examined this in the COVID-19 context. Using an innovative approach, this study analyses the impacts of participation in a COVID-19 survey in Australia on subjective wellbeing through a survey experiment. At a population level, we find no evidence that participation impacts subjective wellbeing. However, this may not hold for those with mental health concerns and those living in financial insecurity. These findings provide the research community with a deeper understanding of the potential wellbeing impacts from COVID-19-related research participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of mobile devices in the frame of online surveys has been accompanied by the development of research apps. These research apps have the potential to facilitate the process for respondents (e.g. being able to complete surveys when Internet is not available provides more freedom on when and where participants can participate) and fieldwork companies (e.g. the possibility to use push notifications could lead to higher participation rates). However, previous research suggests that panelists may also be reluctant to install an app. In this study, we answer research questions related to the knowledge and use of the Netquest app. We found that a majority of panelist did not know about the app and although sending invitations significantly increased its installation, the overall total of respondents installing the app remained low. Furthermore, the profile of those who installed the app differs from those who did not. The participation of panelists after they installed the app seems stable. The main reason for installing the app is comfort while the main reason for not installing relates to space/battery usage. Most of those who did not install could accept to install the app. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web surveys are commonly used in social research because they are usually cheaper, faster, and simpler to conduct than other modes. They also enable researchers to capture paradata such as response times. Particularly, the determination of proper values to define outliers in response time analyses has proven to be an intricate challenge. In fact, to a certain degree, researchers determine them arbitrarily. In this study, we use “SurveyFocus (SF)”—a paradata tool that records the activity of the web-survey pages—to assess outlier definitions based on response time distributions. Our analyses reveal that these common procedures provide relatively sufficient results. However, they are unable to detect all respondents who temporarily leave the survey, causing bias in the response times. Therefore, we recommend a two-step procedure consisting of the utilization of SF and a common outlier definition to attain a more appropriate analysis and interpretation of response times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perceptions and sentiments of business respondents are considered important for statistical bureaus. As perceptions and sentiments are related to the behavior of the people expressing them, gaining insights into the perceptions and sentiments of business respondents is of interest to understand business survey response. In this article we present an exploratory analysis of expressions in the social media regarding Statistics Netherlands. In recent years, social media have become an important infrastructure for communication flows and thus an essential network in our social structure. Within that network participants are actively involved in expressing sentiments and perceptions. The results of our analysis provide insights into the perceptions and sentiments that business respondents have of this national statistical institute and specifically its business surveys. They point towards the specific causes that have led to a positive or a negative sentiment. Based on these results, recommendations aimed at influencing the perceptions and sentiments will be discussed, with the ultimate goal of stimulating survey participation. We also suggest recommendations regarding social media studies on sentiments and perceptions of survey respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing reluctance of businesses to participate in surveys often leads to declining or low response rates, poor data quality and burden complaints, and suggests that a driving force, that is, the motivation for participation and accurate and timely response, is insufficient or lacking. Inspiration for ways to remedy this situation has already been sought in the psychological theory of self-determination; previous research has favored enhancement of intrinsic motivation compared to extrinsic motivation. Traditionally however, enhancing extrinsic motivation has been pervasive in business surveys. We therefore review this theory in the context of business surveys using empirical data from the Netherlands and Slovenia, and suggest that extrinsic motivation calls for at least as much attention as intrinsic motivation, that other sources of motivation may be relevant besides those stemming from the three fundamental psychological needs (competence, autonomy and relatedness), and that other approaches may have the potential to better explain some aspects of motivation in business surveys (e.g., implicit motives). We conclude with suggestions that survey organizations can consider when attempting to improve business survey response behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior work has shown that effective survey nonresponse adjustment variables should be highly correlated with both the propensity to respond to a survey and the survey variables of interest. In practice, propensity models are often used for nonresponse adjustment with multiple auxiliary variables as predictors. These auxiliary variables may be positively or negatively associated with survey participation, they may be correlated with each other, and can have positive or negative relationships with the survey variables. Yet the consequences for nonresponse adjustment of these conditions are not known to survey practitioners. Simulations are used here to examine the effects of multiple auxiliary variables with opposite relationships with survey participation and the survey variables. The results show that bias and mean square error of adjusted respondent means are substantially different when the predictors have relationships of the same directions compared to when they have opposite directions with either propensity or the survey variables. Implications for nonresponse adjustment and responsive designs will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a study which examines the role of quantitative literacy or numeracy in respondents' comprehension of disclosure risk in surveys as well as their sensitivity to disclosure risk manipulations. It reveals that less numerate persons are sensitive in a lesser extent to extreme differences in the disclosure risk. The result of the examination also demonstrates that quantitative literacy may go beyond its function in disclosure risk in medical decision making.

This article addresses the issue of falling response rates in telephone surveys. To better understand and maintain respondent goodwill, concepts of psychological contract and respondent expectations are introduced and explored. Results of the qualitative study show that respondent expectations are not only socially contingent but also ego-expressive, utilitarian, pleasurable, and epistemic by nature. Although results are reassuring in terms of commercialization of the psychological contract, they indicate some radical changes that are needed for the respondents to accept its continuation. The article discusses several practical and theoretical implications of such changes and suggests a series of corresponding propositions aimed at facilitating and inspiring future developments in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visitor studies using standardized questionnaires are popular in marketing-oriented research. Yet these surveys often contend with high nonresponse rates because of the peculiarity of the survey context. Spectators are contacted and persuaded to participate in a survey when they are attending--sometimes en masse---an event outdoors. In this article, the particular correlates of contactability in visitor studies are explored. More specifically, correlates of contactability in audience research in cultural institutions staging music, theater, opera, and dance are analyzed. The resulting model offers practical guidelines for conducting arts-related research in terms of the number of interviewers required to achieve a desired contact rate--given an expected audience size and a planned method for data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leverage-saliency theory provides a seminal basis for research on the differential effects of response-facilitating techniques in surveys. In this article, a quasi-experimental design is applied to analyze the effect of follow-up procedures, taking into account the sample persons' interest in the survey topic. The authors use multilevel logistic regression to map response on a mail questionnaire in the second step of a two-step data collection procedure. It is found that alter controlling for the effects of sociodemographic and performance-related covariates--the effect of follow up procedures is larger for those less interested in the survey topic. As such, these findings are an empirical confirmation of the leverage-saliency theory. Some implications for survey research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]