Discussion: View Thread

Speculating on Subjects’ Motivation in Survey Research in China

  • 1.  Speculating on Subjects’ Motivation in Survey Research in China

    Posted 10-26-2005 13:42
    For a psychometric survey of 50-60 items using a
    9-point Likert-type response scale, with mildly
    complex instructions for choosing the extreme
    anchors, subjects should be dropped if they choose the
    same anchor-point for more than 35 items. E.g., if a
    subject selects four 36 times or more, that subject
    is eliminated from the analysis.

    A colleague administered the survey, in Chinese,
    online in China using a paid online research
    panel. Approximately 33% of the subjects would be
    eliminated if the 36-or-more identical response rule
    is
    applied.

    From my research using the same instrument in
    China I found it necessary to drop less than 5% of the
    subjects using hand delivered and picked up paper
    forms, and from a report by the author of the
    survey, his experience is less than 10%.

    From my meagre experience of living and working in
    China for several years and engaging in survey
    research there for 12 years, I would speculate
    that in the minds of the subjects there is no
    relationship existing between the members of the paid
    online research panel and those collecting the data,
    other than being paid more for completing more
    surveys,
    leading to minimising the amount of time spent on
    each survey, by, e.g., the �malicious response set
    behaviour� of using as few anchor points as
    possible.

    I have not yet done a literature search.

    Your thoughts? Or knowledge of the literature? Or
    research results?

    "Who dare to teach must never cease to learn."-John Cotton Dana
    Romie F. Littrell, BA, MBA,PhD, FAIR, An f�na� fi�in
    Faculty of Business, Auckland University of Technology, N.Z.
    http://www.romielittrellpubs.homestead.com/
    http://www.crossculturalcentre.homestead.com/
    PARTICIPATE in a study of leadership & values:
    hppt://www.leadershipvalues.homestead.com/





    ___________________________________________________________
    Yahoo! Messenger - NEW crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com