Responses on computer surveys: Impression management, social desirability, and the big brother syndrome

Rosenfeld, Paul; Booth-Kewley, Stephanie; Edwards, Jack; Thomas, Marle D.

doi:10.1016/0747-5632(96)00006-4

Cited by 63 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Researchers have suggested that the increased disclosure in computer assisted interviewing may be attributable to the impersonal and anonymous interaction between the respondent and the computer during which respondents are less concerned about how they may be viewed by others (Rosenfeld, Booth-Kewley, & Edwards, 1996). The use of headphones with the computer can help create a "private space" for the interview.…”

Section: Response Patterns With Acasimentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementation of Audio Computer-Assisted Interviewing Software in HIV/AIDS Research

Pluhar¹,

Holstad²,

Yeager³

et al. 2007

Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

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Computer assisted interviewing (CAI) has begun to play a more prominent role in HIV/AIDS prevention research. Despite the increased popularity of CAI, particularly audio computer assisted self-interviewing (ACASI), some research teams are still reluctant to implement ACASI technology due to lack of familiarity with the practical issues related to using these software packages. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of one particular ACASI software package, the Questionnaire Development System™ (QDS™), in several nursing and HIV/AIDS prevention research settings. We present acceptability and satisfaction data from two large-scale public health studies in which we have used QDS with diverse populations. We also address issues related to developing and programming a questionnaire, discuss practical strategies related to planning for and implementing ACASI in the field, including selecting equipment, training staff, and collecting and transferring data, and summarize advantages and disadvantages of computer assisted research methods.Within the past 20 years, computers have played a role in many phases of survey research, including instrument design, sampling, and data entry, coding, cleaning, and analysis. In recent years, survey instruments and questionnaires have become more complex, demanding increasingly advanced skills from interviewers (Couper, 2000). The use of computer-assisted interviewing (CAI) provides the means for the standardization of these complex interviews that may be difficult for live interviewers to administer because of the complexity of the questions and skip patterns. Researchers continue to transition to CAI in an effort to ease the burden of complex interviews on both interviewers and respondents and, later in the process, to facilitate data entry and management.Researchers have employed a variety of CAI programs, particularly, audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI), including those that are written in Visual Basic and programmed Erika Pluhar, PhD is the corresponding author: 1520 Clifton Road, NE SON 260, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 727-2988, epluha2@sph.emory.edu Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. In the ACASI format, questions are read to the participants using either a digitally recorded human voice or a text-to-speak computerized voice. Each participant hears exactly the same voice with the same accent reading the same instructions and questionnaire items presented with the same level of emotion and sensitivity. This feature of CAI provides the much-needed standardization required in interview ad...

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Section: Response Patterns With Acasimentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementation of Audio Computer-Assisted Interviewing Software in HIV/AIDS Research

Pluhar¹,

Holstad²,

Yeager³

et al. 2007

Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

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“…A general problem of studies based on self-reported data is that participants usually have correct notions about socially desirable answers, which can be referred to as the tendency to provide answers that cause the respondent to look good (Hakkarainen et al, 2001;Rosenfeld, Booth-Kewley, Edwards & Thomas, 1996). Social desirability responding has long been viewed as a potential source of error variance in self-report measures (Hancock & Flowers, 2001).…”

Section: Limitations Of Previous Empirical Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of research methodologies used in studies on mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings

Cheung

Hew

2009

AJET

114

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Mobile handheld devices are increasingly being used in education. In this paper, we undertook a review of empirical based articles to summarise the current research regarding the use of mobile handheld devices (personal digital assistants/PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones) in K-12 and higher education settings. This review was guided by the following four questions: (a) How are mobile handheld devices such as PDAs, palmtops, and mobile phones used by students and teachers? (b) What types of research methods have been applied using such devices? (c) What data collection methods are used in the research? and (d) What research topics have been conducted on these handheld devices in education settings, as well as their related findings? We summarise and discuss some major findings from the research, as well as several limitations of previous empirical studies. We conclude by providing some recommendations for future research related to mobile handheld devices in education settings. IntroductionIn the last few years, mobile handheld devices have emerged as a tool for teachers and students to use in K-12 and higher education settings. In this article, we adapted Becta's definition (cited in Perry, 2003) to refer to mobile handheld devices as any small machines that can be carried easily in one's palm and provide computing, as well as information storage and retrieval capabilities. Mobile handheld devices differ from other mobile tools such as laptops because the latter, although portable, are typically not small and light enough to fit in one's palm. Figure 1, adapted from Seppälä and Alamäki (2003), provides a pictorial illustration of the relationship between mobile handheld devices with laptops and desktop personal computers.One of the promises that mobile handheld devices hold is that of a one device to student ratio (Mifsud, 2004). Such a ratio enables a change from the occasional and supplemental use associated with computer laboratories, to more frequent and integral use of portable computer technology in teaching and learning (Roschelle, 2003; Tinker & Krajcik, 2001). Some researchers (e.g. Soloway et al., 2001) believe that such devices have the potential to revolutionise learning, allowing students to undertake learning activities wherever they happen to be. Furthermore, because mobile handheld devices are personal and portable, they may incite in learners a sense of personal ownership over learning tasks and the technologies used to support learning (Hennessy, 2000).The purpose of this article is to review the empirical literature pertaining to the use of mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings. In this article, we limit our review of handhelds to devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), 154 Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2009, 25(2) palmtops, and mobile phones. PDAs are shirt pocket sized devices equipped with computer capabilities (Baumgart, 2005;Churchill & Churchill, 2007). PDAs typically come with a touch sensitive screen, a pen/stylus input inter...

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“…Other researchers have argued that computer administration in some cases could reduce feelings of privacy and anonymity (e.g., Rosenfeld, Booth-Kewley, Edwards, & Thomas, 1996;Yates, Wagner, & Suprenant, 1997). Rosenfeld et al (1996) argued that a computer can seem threatening rather than safe when respondents know their responses will be identified, verified, and stored in a database.…”

Section: Social Desirability Distortionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A meta-analytic study of social desirability distortion in computer-administered questionnaires, traditional questionnaires, and interviews.

Richman

Kiesler²,

Weisband³

et al. 1999

Journal of Applied Psychology

682

472

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A meta-analysis of social desirability distortion compared computer questionnaires with traditional paper-and-pencil questionnaires and face-to-face interviews in 61 studies (1967-1997; 673 effect sizes). Controlling for correlated observations, a near-zero overall effect size was obtained for computer versus paper-and-pencil questionnaires. With moderators, there was less distortion on computerized measures of social desirability responding than on the paper-and-pencil measures, especially when respondents were alone and could backtrack. There was more distortion on the computer on other scales, but distortion was small when respondents were alone, anonymous, and could backtrack. There was less distortion on computerized versions of interviews than on face-to-face interviews. Research is needed on nonlinear patterns of distortion, and on the effects of context and interface on privacy perceptions and on responses to sensitive questions.

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Responses on computer surveys: Impression management, social desirability, and the big brother syndrome

Cited by 63 publications

References 13 publications

Implementation of Audio Computer-Assisted Interviewing Software in HIV/AIDS Research

Implementation of Audio Computer-Assisted Interviewing Software in HIV/AIDS Research

A review of research methodologies used in studies on mobile handheld devices in K-12 and higher education settings

A meta-analytic study of social desirability distortion in computer-administered questionnaires, traditional questionnaires, and interviews.

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