Let’s put a smile on that scale: Findings from three web survey experiments

Gummer, Tobias; Vogel, Vera; Kunz, Tanja; Roßmann, Joss

doi:10.1177/1470785319858598

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Possible solutions might include color coding or other visual design features of questions that give meaning to scale points (e.g., "green" for positive or "red" for negative, "thumps up" for agreement and "thumps down" for disagreement) and provide clues on how scale points relate to each other (e.g., by tuning down color by 50%). Research in this area is budding (Stange et al, 2018;Toepoel & Dillman, 2010;Toepoel & Funke, 2018;Toepoel et al, 2019;Tourangeau et al, 2007), although recent studies on the use of smiley faces were not encouraging in terms of data quality and ease of cognitive response processing (Cernat & Liu, 2019;Gummer et al, 2020). Unless convincing progress is made to make rating scales more compact and less screen size space consuming, for now, we recommend complying with the classical advice on using fully labeled rating scales with verbal labels (e.g., Krosnick & Fabrigar, 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Only Numeric Labels Instead of Verbal Labels: Stripping Rating Scales to Their Bare Minimum in Web Surveys

Gummer

Kunz

2020

Social Science Computer Review

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With the increasing use of smartphones in web surveys, considerable efforts have been devoted to reduce the amount of screen space taken up by questions. An emerging stream of research in this area is aimed at optimizing the design elements of rating scales. One suggestion that has been made is to completely abandon verbal labels and use only numeric labels instead. This approach deliberately shifts the task of scale interpretation to the respondents and reduces the information given to them with an intention to reduce their response burden while still preserving the scale meaning. Following prior research, and by drawing on the established model of the cognitive response process, we critically tested these assumptions. Based on a web survey experiment, we found that omitting verbal labels and using only numeric labels instead pushed respondents to focus their responses on the endpoints of a rating scale. Moreover, drawing on response time paradata, we showed that their response burden was not reduced when presented with only numeric labels; quite the opposite was the case, especially when respondents answered the scale with only numeric labels for the first time, which seemed to entail additional cognitive effort. Based on our findings, we advise against using only numeric labels for rating scales in web surveys.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Only Numeric Labels Instead of Verbal Labels: Stripping Rating Scales to Their Bare Minimum in Web Surveys

Gummer

Kunz

2020

Social Science Computer Review

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“…A LSS apresenta 40 questões para cada versão e o instrumento é composto por uma escala de Likert de 5 frações (1=Nunca; 5= Sempre). Pela especificidade da população, recorreu-se a uma smiley face scales pelo facto de ser um sistema familiar para estes atletas (De Knegt, Schuengel, Lobbezoo, Visscher, Evenhuis, Boel, & Scherder, 2016) e constituir-se como uma plataforma de substituição dos rótulos numéricos (Gummer, Vogel, Kunz, & Roßmann, 2019).…”

Section: Instrumentosunclassified

Autoperceção e perceção dos comportamentos de liderança dos treinadores dos Special Olympics Portugal

Pires,

Batista,

Mesquita

et al. 2022

ebm.jss

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Coaches have a fundamental role in the holistic development of their athletes, and when we talk about adapted sports, this prerogative gains more relevance, since sports are a transforming vehicle in the athletes' lives. However, the theme of the leadership behaviors of coaches of athletes with intellectual disabilities is little scientifically explored. The main purpose of this study is to identify the coaches' self-perception and the athletes' perception about the leadership behaviors of the Special Olympics Portugal coaches. It is also intended to examine the relationship between self-perception and perception with the formal training of coaches. The research is descriptive and cross-sectional, with a sample consisting of 50 coaches and 94 athletes from the universe of Special Olympics Portugal. The sport leadership scale was the instrument used in the study, in the self-perception and perception versions. The results showed that, in the versions analysed, the coaches of athletes with intellectual disabilities showed more leadership behaviours in the dimensions of reinforcement, training, instruction and social support. The coaches with specific training in the area of disability have more appropriate behaviours to the specific characteristics and needs of the athletes.

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“…Dillman et al (1998) found that respondents were more likely to complete a “plain” version of a survey as opposed to a “fancy” version embellished with colors and graphics, which they attributed to the increased burden of longer download times for respondents in the visually enhanced version. In a study testing the effects of smiley face emoticons as labels on rating scales in place of verbal labels, Gummer et al (2020) found no significant advantages in response quality among respondents shown rating scales with the emoticons; instead, their use increased response time. Similarly, studies have shown that slider scales, in which respondents move a “handle” or bar to indicate their response on a continuous scale, are more susceptible to measurement errors and generate longer response times, more break-offs, and higher item omissions than traditional rating scales (Funke, 2016; Roster et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Using memes in online surveys to engage and motivate respondents

Roster

2021

International Journal of Market Research

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This study explored the influence of Internet memes, specifically image macros of animals with motivational captions, on survey respondents’ engagement with the survey-taking experience and subsequent data quality. A web-based field experiment was conducted with online survey respondents from two sample sources, one crowdsourced, and one commercially managed online panel. Half of the respondents from each sample source were randomly selected to see the memes at various points throughout the survey; the other half did not. Direct and indirect measures of survey engagement and response quality were used to assess effectiveness of the memes. Quantitative results were inconclusive, with few significant differences found in measures of engagement and data quality between respondents in the meme or control condition in either sample source. However, qualitative open-ended comments from respondents who saw the memes in both sample groups revealed that memes provide respondents a fun break and relief from the cognitive burdens of answering online survey questions. In conclusion, memes represent a relatively inexpensive and easy way for survey researchers to connect with respondents and show appreciation for their time and effort.

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Let’s put a smile on that scale: Findings from three web survey experiments

Cited by 10 publications

References 12 publications

Using Only Numeric Labels Instead of Verbal Labels: Stripping Rating Scales to Their Bare Minimum in Web Surveys

Using Only Numeric Labels Instead of Verbal Labels: Stripping Rating Scales to Their Bare Minimum in Web Surveys

Autoperceção e perceção dos comportamentos de liderança dos treinadores dos Special Olympics Portugal

Using memes in online surveys to engage and motivate respondents

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