Work

Improving Survey Response Rates in Online Panels

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Identifying ways to efficiently maximize the response rate to surveys is important in survey-based research. However, evidence on the response rate effect of donation incentives and especially altruistic and egotistic text appeal interventions is sparse and ambiguous. Via a randomized survey experiment among 6,162 members of an online survey panel, this article shows how low-cost incentives and cost-free text appeal interventions may affect the survey response rate in online panels. The experimental treatments comprise (a) a cash prize lottery incentive, (b) two donation incentives that promise a monetary donation to a good cause in return for survey response, (c) an egotistic text appeal, and (d) an altruistic text appeal. Relative to a control group, we find higher response rates among recipients of the egotistic text appeal and the lottery incentive. Donation incentives yield lower response rates.

Source: Social Science Computer Review

DOI: 10.1177/0894439314563916

Authors: Mogens Jin Pedersen, Christian Videbæk Nielsen

Institutions: Aarhus University, Danish National Centre for Social Research, London School of Economics and Political Science

Language: English

Topic: Survey Methodology and Nonresponse

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Strategiske Forskningsråd

OpenAlex ID: W2020371192