Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 25-50 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Web surveys are a common self-administered mode of data collection using written language to convey information. This language is usually accompanied by visual design elements, such as numbers, symbols, and graphics. As shown by previous research, such elements of survey questions can affect response behavior because respondents sometimes use interpretive heuristics, such as the "middle means typical"and the "left and top means first"heuristics when answering survey questions. In this study, we adopted the designs and survey questions of two experiments reported in Tourangeau, Couper, and Conrad (2004). One experiment varied the position of nonsubstantive response options in relation to other substantive response options and the second experiment varied the order of the response options. We implemented both experiments in an eye-tracking study. By recording respondents' eye movements, we are able to observe how they read question stems and response options and we are able to draw conclusions about the survey response process the questions initiate. This enables us to investigate the mechanisms underlying the two interpretive heuristics and to test the assumptions of Tourangeau et al. (2004) about the ways in which interpretive heuristics influence survey responding. The eye-tracking data reveal mixed results for the two interpretive heuristics. For the middle means typical heuristic, it remains somewhat unclear whether respondents seize on the conceptual or visual midpoint of a response scale when answering survey questions. For the left and top means first heuristic, we found that violations of the heuristic increase response effort in terms of eye fixations. These results are discussed in the context of the findings of the original studies.
Keywords
- Eye tracking, Interpretive heuristics, Lab experiment, Question processing, Response behavior, Web survey research
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Mathematics(all)
- Statistics and Probability
- Social Sciences(all)
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Decision Sciences(all)
- Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty
- Mathematics(all)
- Applied Mathematics
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In: Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, Vol. 9, No. 1, 01.02.2021, p. 25-50.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Re-Examining the Middle Means Typical and the Left and Top Means First Heuristics Using Eye-Tracking Methodology
AU - Höhne, Jan Karem
AU - Lenzner, Timo
AU - Neuert, Cornelia E.
AU - Yan, Ting
PY - 2021/2/1
Y1 - 2021/2/1
N2 - Web surveys are a common self-administered mode of data collection using written language to convey information. This language is usually accompanied by visual design elements, such as numbers, symbols, and graphics. As shown by previous research, such elements of survey questions can affect response behavior because respondents sometimes use interpretive heuristics, such as the "middle means typical"and the "left and top means first"heuristics when answering survey questions. In this study, we adopted the designs and survey questions of two experiments reported in Tourangeau, Couper, and Conrad (2004). One experiment varied the position of nonsubstantive response options in relation to other substantive response options and the second experiment varied the order of the response options. We implemented both experiments in an eye-tracking study. By recording respondents' eye movements, we are able to observe how they read question stems and response options and we are able to draw conclusions about the survey response process the questions initiate. This enables us to investigate the mechanisms underlying the two interpretive heuristics and to test the assumptions of Tourangeau et al. (2004) about the ways in which interpretive heuristics influence survey responding. The eye-tracking data reveal mixed results for the two interpretive heuristics. For the middle means typical heuristic, it remains somewhat unclear whether respondents seize on the conceptual or visual midpoint of a response scale when answering survey questions. For the left and top means first heuristic, we found that violations of the heuristic increase response effort in terms of eye fixations. These results are discussed in the context of the findings of the original studies.
AB - Web surveys are a common self-administered mode of data collection using written language to convey information. This language is usually accompanied by visual design elements, such as numbers, symbols, and graphics. As shown by previous research, such elements of survey questions can affect response behavior because respondents sometimes use interpretive heuristics, such as the "middle means typical"and the "left and top means first"heuristics when answering survey questions. In this study, we adopted the designs and survey questions of two experiments reported in Tourangeau, Couper, and Conrad (2004). One experiment varied the position of nonsubstantive response options in relation to other substantive response options and the second experiment varied the order of the response options. We implemented both experiments in an eye-tracking study. By recording respondents' eye movements, we are able to observe how they read question stems and response options and we are able to draw conclusions about the survey response process the questions initiate. This enables us to investigate the mechanisms underlying the two interpretive heuristics and to test the assumptions of Tourangeau et al. (2004) about the ways in which interpretive heuristics influence survey responding. The eye-tracking data reveal mixed results for the two interpretive heuristics. For the middle means typical heuristic, it remains somewhat unclear whether respondents seize on the conceptual or visual midpoint of a response scale when answering survey questions. For the left and top means first heuristic, we found that violations of the heuristic increase response effort in terms of eye fixations. These results are discussed in the context of the findings of the original studies.
KW - Eye tracking
KW - Interpretive heuristics
KW - Lab experiment
KW - Question processing
KW - Response behavior
KW - Web survey research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076478152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jssam/smz028
DO - 10.1093/jssam/smz028
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85076478152
VL - 9
SP - 25
EP - 50
JO - Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology
JF - Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology
SN - 2325-0984
IS - 1
ER -