Interviewer Effects on Nonresponse in the European Social Survey

53 Pages Posted: 25 Aug 2010

See all articles by Annelies G. Blom

Annelies G. Blom

University of Mannheim; University of Essex - Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER)

Edith De Leeuw

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Joop Hox

Utrecht University - Faculty of Social Sciences

Date Written: August 23, 2010

Abstract

In face-to-face surveys interviewers play a crucial role in making contact with and gaining cooperation from sample units. While some analyses investigate the influence of interviewers on nonresponse, they are typically restricted to single-country studies. However, interviewer training, contacting and cooperation strategies as well as survey climates may differ across countries. Combining call-record data from the European Social Survey (ESS) with data from a detailed interviewer questionnaire on attitudes and doorstep behavior we find systematic country differences in nonresponse processes, which can in part be explained by differences in interviewer characteristics, such as contacting strategies and avowed doorstep behavior.

Keywords: contact, cooperation, interviewer attitudes, doorstep behavior, interviewer questionnaire, paradata, contact data, cross-cultural research, international surveys

JEL Classification: C81, C83

Suggested Citation

Blom, Annelies G. and Blom, Annelies G. and Leeuw, Edith De and Hox, Joop, Interviewer Effects on Nonresponse in the European Social Survey (August 23, 2010). MEA Discussion Paper No. 202-10, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1663704 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1663704

Annelies G. Blom (Contact Author)

University of Mannheim ( email )

School of Social Sciences
Mannheim, 68131
Germany

University of Essex - Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) ( email )

Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Edith De Leeuw

affiliation not provided to SSRN

No Address Available

Joop Hox

Utrecht University - Faculty of Social Sciences

NL-3508 TC Utrecht
Netherlands

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