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Abstract
This study examines the extent to which the theories of exchange, cognitive dissonance, self-perception and commitment/involvement, when used to design surveys, can influence potential respondents to participate in a survey. The results from an experiment involving a total of 403 subjects in Hong Kong and Australia expands what is known about the role played by theory by examining consumer responses to participation requests made on the basis of each theoretical framework. Specific results support the relatively high positive impact of two of the frameworks that has been reported in a study of research practitioners.
Introduction
There is very little known about the reasons why some people participate as respondents in a survey while others do not, and among respondents why the quality of data varies. A great number of empirical studies have been conducted on response inducement techniques and other methodological artifacts that affect response to surveys, particularly mail surveys. Of concern in these studies have been the effects of such devices as preliminary notification, foot-in-the-door technique, follow-ups, questionnaire format and length, survey source or sponsorship, nature of return envelopes, type of postage, personalisation, cover letters, anonymity, deadline date, and premiums and rewards. Quantitative (i.e., meta-analysis) and qualitative reviews of a large number of studies relating to mail surveys have been written by Scott (1961), Blumberg, Fuller & Hare (1974), Kanuk & Berenson (1975), Linsky (1975), Houston & Ford (1976), Heberlein & Baumgartner (1978), Duncan (1979), Fox, Crask & Kim (1988), Yammarino, Skinner & Childers (1991) and Church (1993). Reviews by Peterson & Kerin (1981) and by Yu & Cooper (1983) included all major methods of survey data collection, as did the quantitative review of response effects to interviews by Sudman & Bradburn (1974). The consensus of all this research is that there is no strong empirical evidence that any technique or aspect of a technique is always best at inducing response, except, perhaps for prenotification, follow-ups and the use of a monetary incentive, particularly one that is sent with the request for participation. Typically a study has used one or more of the following as a dependent variable or measure of effect: response rate, item omissions, response speed, cost and in a much more limited manner, response content itself.
Yet there...