Why Do Web Surveys Take Longer on Smartphones?

Abstract

Surveys completed on mobile web devices (smartphones) have been found to take longer than surveys completed on a PC. This has been found both in surveys where respondents can choose which device they use and in surveys where respondents are randomly assigned to devices. A number of potential explanations have been offered for these findings, including (1) slower transmission over cellular or Wi-Fi networks, (2) the difficulty of reading questions and selecting responses on a small device, and (3) the increased mobility of mobile web users who have more distractions while answering web surveys. In a secondary analysis of student surveys, we find that only about one-fifth of the time difference can be accounted for by transmission time (between-page time) with the balance being within-page time differences. Using multilevel models, we explore possible page-level (question-level) and respondent-level factors that may contribute to the time difference. We find that much of the time difference can be accounted for by the additional scrolling required on mobile devices, especially for grid questions.

Item-by-item Versus Matrix Questions

“…Second, the time it took to complete the entire survey was similar between matrix and item-by-item questions for both mobile and nonmobile respondents. Couper and Peterson (2016) found that the additional scrolling behavior for matrix questions contributes to the longer response time for mobile respondents. The lack of significant time difference in this study between matrix and item-by-item question types is probably because the survey was fairly short with only two matrix questions.…”

“…More generally, some studies have examined the influence of scale length (for a review, see Krosnick & Presser, 2010) and device (for review, Couper et al, 2016) on survey response and data quality. When responding to a survey question, the respondents need to comprehend the scales and map their underlying attitudes on one of the options.…”

“…This study will also investigate whether the effect of the question format is moderated by the survey device and in particular mobile devices. Some studies have examined the matrix question among mobile respondents, and they show somewhat mixed results in completion time, item nonresponse, and response distribution (e.g., see Couper & Peterson, 2016;de Bruijne & Wijnant, 2013;Lattery, Bartolone, & Saunders, 2013;Peterson, Mechling, LaFrance, Swinehart, & Ham, 2013Revilla, Toninelli, & Ochoa, 2016. Given the smaller screen size of mobile devices compared to computers, responding to a matrix question may require more scrolling (both horizontal and vertical, depending on the size of the matrix), zooming, and pinching than for a item-by-item question and hence can be more challenging.…”

Impacts of Implementing an Automatic Advancement Feature in Mobile and Web Surveys

“…As more people use the Internet and smartphones to take surveys, understanding these users' experiences becomes increasingly important (Couper and Peterson 2016). One recent development in mobile and web survey design includes ways of helping the respondent automatically move through a survey.…”

Web Survey’s Completion Rates: Effects of Forced Responses, Question Display Styles, and Subjects’ Attitude

“…Hofstede; et al's work (2010) on power distance may account for this difference. Subjects in western countries are more independent and less conformist such that enforcement on an online survey could be more annoying than for those in from the East (Wang & Nayir;Gao;2017). When the subjects from Asia; including Thailand; are forced to respond to a questionnaire item; they may feel more obligated to do so; and thereby answer all question items completely.…”