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International Journal of Public Opinion Research 2008 20(1):74-89; doi:10.1093/ijpor/edn006
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The World Association for Public Opinion Research. All rights reserved.

Measuring Public Opinions About Surveys

Geert Loosveldt and Vicky Storms

Address correspondence to Geert Loosveldt, Department of Sociology, Catholic University of Leuven, Parkstraat 45, 3000 Leuven, Belgium, Geert.Loosveldt{at}soc.kuleuven.be

Respondent's opinions about survey research are regarded as an expression at the individual level of the general survey-taking climate. Based on a review of the research about ‘surveys on surveys’ five relevant dimensions of the respondent's opinion about surveys are distinguished: survey enjoyment, survey value, survey cost, survey reliability, and survey privacy. Items related to these aspects are used to develop an ‘Opinions about Survey Scale’. The results of an analysis of the predictive validity of the scale support the expectations based on the theory of planned behavior. Opinions about surveys are associated with the intention to participate in future surveys and with hesitation to fill out the questionnaire of a mail survey. Opinions are not related with participation in a follow-up mail survey. The results of the wave analysis of a mail survey are a clear indication that nonrespondents have more negative opinions about different aspects of surveys. This also means that the measurement of opinions is biased. However, because of this bias it is worthwhile and useful to measure these opinions.

The research project was funded by the Foundation of Scientific Research (Belgium, Flanders).

Received for publication November 6, 2006. Revision received June 1, 2007.
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