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Be Wary of Those Who Ask: A Randomized Experiment on the Size and Determinants of the Enumerator Effect

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  • Michele Di Maio
  • Nathan Fiala

Abstract

During survey data collection, respondents’ answers may be influenced by the behavior and characteristics of the enumerator, the so-called enumerator effect. Using a large-scale experiment in Uganda in which the study randomly pairs enumerators and respondents, the study explores for which types of questions the enumerator effect may exist. It is found that the enumerator effect is minimal in many questions, but is large for political preference questions, for which it can account for over 30 percent of the variation in responses. The study then explores which enumerator characteristics, and which of their combination with respondent characteristics, could account for this effect. Finally, the conclusion provides some practical suggestions on how to minimize enumerator effects, and potential bias, in various types of data collections.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Di Maio & Nathan Fiala, 0. "Be Wary of Those Who Ask: A Randomized Experiment on the Size and Determinants of the Enumerator Effect," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 34(3), pages 654-669.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:34:y::i:3:p:654-669.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wber/lhy024
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    Cited by:

    1. Ambler, Kate & Herskowitz, Sylvan & Maredia, Mywish K., 2021. "Are we done yet? Response fatigue and rural livelihoods," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    2. Reitmann, Ann-Kristin & Goedhuys, Micheline & Grimm, Michael & Nillesen, Eleonora E.M., 2019. "Measuring attitudes on gender equality and domestic violence in the Arab context : The role of framing, priming and interviewer effects," MERIT Working Papers 2019-027, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Nillesen, Eleonora & Grimm, Michael & Goedhuys, Micheline & Reitmann, Ann-Kristin & Meysonnat, Aline, 2019. "On the Malleability of Implicit Attitudes Towards Women Empowerment: Evidence from Tunisia," IZA Discussion Papers 12471, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Fiala, Nathan & Masselus, Lise, 2022. "Whom to ask? Testing respondent effects in household surveys," Ruhr Economic Papers 935, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Nillesen, Eleonora & Grimm, Michael & Goedhuys, Micheline & Reitmann, Ann-Kristin & Meysonnat, Aline, 2021. "On the malleability of gender attitudes: Evidence from implicit and explicit measures in Tunisia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    6. Blattman, Christopher & Emeriau, Mathilde & Fiala, Nathan, 2018. "Do anti-poverty programs sway voters? Experimental evidence from Uganda," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101663, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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