IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/dem/demres/v48y2023i22.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Better to ask online when it concerns intimate relationships? Survey mode differences in the assessment of relationship quality

Author

Listed:
  • Almut Schumann

    (Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB))

  • Detlev Lück

    (Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB))

Abstract

Background: The assessment of relationship quality is a key construct in family research and relies on several indicators. As answer behavior for sensitive and subjective questions can be biased by the interview situation, the emerging switch from face-to-face mode to web or mixed mode in surveys challenges the comparability of measurements. Objective: This study investigates the impact of two modes of data collection – face-to-face mode and web mode – on central measurements of relationship quality in quantitative family research. Methods: In a German experimental pilot study (2018) within the Generations and Gender Programme, target persons were randomly assigned to face-to-face or online interviews. Mode differences are assessed by comparing distributions for various indicators of relationship quality. To adjust for confounders, post-stratification weighting and multivariate regression analysis are applied. Results: Findings reveal consistent mode effects for almost all indicators of relationship quality even after adjusting for confounders. Respondents in web mode assess their relationship quality substantially lower than respondents in face-to-face mode, thinking more often about breaking up and reporting lower satisfaction and more conflicts. Conclusions: Web mode seems to support less socially desirable reflections on respondents’ relationships compared to face-to-face mode. Family researchers should consider survey design decisions when evaluating intimate relationships, particularly in longitudinal and cross-national studies. Contribution: Findings on the assessment of relationships in family research based on self-administered modes, such as web mode, can be considered more reliable than those based on interviewer-administered modes.

Suggested Citation

  • Almut Schumann & Detlev Lück, 2023. "Better to ask online when it concerns intimate relationships? Survey mode differences in the assessment of relationship quality," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(22), pages 609-640.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:48:y:2023:i:22
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2023.48.22
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol48/22/48-22.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.4054/DemRes.2023.48.22?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lugtig, Peter & Toepoel, Vera & Emery, Tom & Cabaço, Susana Laia Farinha & Bujard, Martin & Naderi, Robert & Schumann, Almut & Lück, Detlev, 2022. "Can we Successfully Move a Cross-national Survey online? Results from a Large Three-country Experiment in the Gender and Generations Programme survey," SocArXiv mu8jy, Center for Open Science.
    2. Matthias Schonlau & Arthur van Soest & Arie Kapteyn & Mick Couper, 2009. "Selection Bias in Web Surveys and the Use of Propensity Scores," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 37(3), pages 291-318, February.
    3. Ivar Krumpal, 2013. "Determinants of social desirability bias in sensitive surveys: a literature review," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 2025-2047, June.
    4. Atkeson, Lonna Rae & Adams, Alex N. & Alvarez, R. Michael, 2014. "Nonresponse and Mode Effects in Self- and Interviewer-Administered Surveys," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(3), pages 304-320, July.
    5. Elise Braekman & Rana Charafeddine & Stefaan Demarest & Sabine Drieskens & Finaba Berete & Lydia Gisle & Johan Van der Heyden & Guido Van Hal, 2020. "Comparing web-based versus face-to-face and paper-and-pencil questionnaire data collected through two Belgian health surveys," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 65(1), pages 5-16, January.
    6. Arieke J. Rijken & Aart C. Liefbroer, 2009. "The Influence of Partner Relationship Quality on Fertility," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 25(1), pages 27-44, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simon Kühne & Martin Kroh, 2016. "Using Personalized Feedback to Increase Data Quality and Respondents' Motivation in Web Surveys?," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 855, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    2. Giorgio Piccitto & Aart C. Liefbroer & Tom Emery, 2022. "Does the Survey Mode Affect the Association Between Subjective Well-being and its Determinants? An Experimental Comparison Between Face-to-Face and Web Mode," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3441-3461, October.
    3. Aycinena, Diego & Bogliacino, Francesco & Kimbrough, Erik O., 2024. "Measuring norms: Assessing the threat of social desirability bias to the Bicchieri and Xiao elicitation method," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 225-239.
    4. Crossley, Thomas F. & Fisher, Paul & Low, Hamish, 2021. "The heterogeneous and regressive consequences of COVID-19: Evidence from high quality panel data," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    5. Philip S. Brenner, 2021. "Effects of Nonresponse, Measurement, and Coverage Bias in Survey Estimates of Voting," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(2), pages 939-954, March.
    6. Michael T Gastner & Károly Takács & Máté Gulyás & Zsuzsanna Szvetelszky & Beáta Oborny, 2019. "The impact of hypocrisy on opinion formation: A dynamic model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, June.
    7. Babette Bühler & Katja Möhring & Andreas P. Weiland, 2022. "Assessing dissimilarity of employment history information from survey and administrative data using sequence analysis techniques," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4747-4774, December.
    8. Guzi, Martin & de Pedraza, Pablo, 2013. "A Web Survey Analysis of the Subjective Well-being of Spanish Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 7618, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Sjöstedt, Martin & Sundström, Aksel & Jagers, Sverker C. & Ntuli, Herbert, 2022. "Governance through community policing: What makes citizens report poaching of wildlife to state officials?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    10. Tricia Koroknay†Palicz & Joao Montalvao, 2020. "Sex, Lies, and Surveys: The Role of Interviewer Characteristics," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(4), pages 3313-3324.
    11. Burke, Mary A. & Carman, Katherine G., 2017. "You can be too thin (but not too tall): Social desirability bias in self-reports of weight and height," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 27(PA), pages 198-222.
    12. Shinichi Kitano, 2021. "Estimation of Determinants of Farmland Abandonment and Its Data Problems," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    13. Burgstaller, Lilith & Feld, Lars P. & Pfeil, Katharina, 2022. "Working in the shadow: Survey techniques for measuring and explaining undeclared work," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 661-671.
    14. Seres, Gyula & Balleyer, Anna Helen & Cerutti, Nicola & Danilov, Anastasia & Friedrichsen, Jana & Liu, Yiming & Süer, Müge, 2021. "Face masks increase compliance with physical distancing recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 7(2), pages 139-158.
    15. Yuning Wu & Ivan Y. Sun & Rong Hu, 2021. "Cooperation with Police in China: Surveillance Cameras, Neighborhood Efficacy and Policing," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(1), pages 433-453, January.
    16. Egon Dejonckheere & Brock Bastian, 2021. "Perceiving Social Pressure not to Feel Negative is Linked to a More Negative Self-concept," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 667-679, February.
    17. Martin Korndörfer & Boris Egloff & Stefan C. Schmukle, 2015. "A Large Scale Test of the Effect of Social Class on Prosocial Behavior," Working Papers 1601, Gutenberg School of Management and Economics, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
    18. Maciej Berȩsewicz & Dagmara Nikulin, 2021. "Estimation of the size of informal employment based on administrative records with non‐ignorable selection mechanism," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 70(3), pages 667-690, June.
    19. Filippo Corsini & Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti & Edoardo Bartoletti & Francesco Testa & Andrea Appolloni & Fabio Iraldo, 2024. "Addressing Plastic Concern: Behavioral Insights into Recycled Plastic Products and Packaging in a Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 1961-1981, September.
    20. Chadi, Adrian, 2013. "Third Person Effects in Interview Responses on Life Satisfaction," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 133(2), pages 323-333.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    survey data; research methods; data collection; interviews; relationships; quality of a statistical survey; intimate relationship; Generations and Gender Programme (GGP);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:48:y:2023:i:22. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.