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Assessing Trends and Decomposing Change in Nonresponse Bias: The Case of Bias in Cohort Distributions
[journal article]
Abstract Survey research is still confronted by a trend of increasing nonresponse rates. In this context, several methodological advances have been made to stimulate participation and avoid bias. Yet, despite the growing number of tools and methods to deal with nonresponse, little is known about whether nonr... view more
Survey research is still confronted by a trend of increasing nonresponse rates. In this context, several methodological advances have been made to stimulate participation and avoid bias. Yet, despite the growing number of tools and methods to deal with nonresponse, little is known about whether nonresponse biases show similar trends as nonresponse rates and what mechanisms (if any) drive changes in bias. Our article focuses on biases in cohort distributions in the U.S. and German general social surveys from 1980 to 2012 as one of the key variables in the social sciences. To supplement our cross-national comparison of these trends, we decompose changes into within-cohort change (WCC) and between-cohort change. We find that biases in cohort distributions have remained relatively stable and at a relatively low level in both countries. Furthermore, WCC (i.e., survey climate) accounts for the major part of the change in nonresponse bias.... view less
Keywords
survey research; response behavior; data capture; data quality
Classification
Methods and Techniques of Data Collection and Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Computer Methods
Free Keywords
cohort distributions; decomposition; nonresponse bias; survey climate; trend; Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften (ALLBUS) and the United States General Social Survey (GSS), 1980-2012
Document language
English
Publication Year
2019
Page/Pages
p. 92-115
Journal
Sociological Methods & Research, 48 (2019) 1
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124117701479
ISSN
1552-8294
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications