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Social Desirability Bias in Self-reports of Physical Activity: Is an Exercise Identity the Culprit?

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  • Philip Brenner
  • John DeLamater

Abstract

Like that of other normative behaviors, much of the research on physical exercise is based on self-reports that are prone to overreporting. While research has focused on identifying the presence and degree of overreporting, this paper fills an important gap by investigating its causes. The explanation based in impression management will be challenged, using an explanation based in identity theory as an arguably better fitting alternative. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) a web instrument using direct survey questions, or (2) a chronological reporting procedure using text messaging. Comparisons to validation data from a reverse record check indicate significantly greater rates of overreporting in the web condition than in the text condition. Results suggest that measurement bias is associated with the importance of the respondents’ exercise identity, prompted by the directness of the conventional survey question. Findings call into question the benefit of self-administration for bias reduction in measurement of normative behaviors. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Brenner & John DeLamater, 2014. "Social Desirability Bias in Self-reports of Physical Activity: Is an Exercise Identity the Culprit?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 489-504, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:117:y:2014:i:2:p:489-504
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0359-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Iiris Niemi, 1993. "Systematic error in behavioural measurement: Comparing results from interview and time budget studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 229-244, November.
    2. Philip S. Brenner & John D. DeLamater, 2013. "Paradata correlates of data quality in an SMS time use study – Evidence from a validation study," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 10(1), pages 38-54, November.
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    1. Xin Lin & Maggie Yu & George A. Jelinek & Steve Simpson-Yap & Sandra Neate & Nupur Nag, 2020. "Greater Engagement with Health Information Is Associated with Adoption and Maintenance of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in People with MS," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-16, August.
    2. Marta Palczyńska & Maja Rynko, 2021. "ICT skills measurement in social surveys: Can we trust self-reports?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 917-943, June.
    3. Sofia Amaral & Lelys Dinarte-Diaz & Patricio Dominguez & Steffanny Romero & Santiago M. Perez-Vincent, 2022. "Talk or Text? Evaluating Response Rates by Remote Survey Method during Covid-19," CESifo Working Paper Series 9517, CESifo.
    4. Suzanne J. Carroll & Theo Niyonsenga & Neil T. Coffee & Anne W. Taylor & Mark Daniel, 2017. "Does Physical Activity Mediate the Associations Between Local-Area Descriptive Norms, Built Environment Walkability, and Glycosylated Hemoglobin?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Pedro Jesús Ruiz-Montero & Oscar Chiva-Bartoll & Antonio Baena-Extremera & David Hortigüela-Alcalá, 2020. "Gender, Physical Self-Perception and Overall Physical Fitness in Secondary School Students: A Multiple Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Conor Philpott & Brian Donovan & Sarahjane Belton & Diarmuid Lester & Michael Duncan & Fiona Chambers & Wesley O’Brien, 2020. "Investigating the Age-Related Association between Perceived Motor Competence and Actual Motor Competence in Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Clara R. Warmath & Courtney C. Choy & Elizabeth A. Frame & Lauren B. Sherar & Rachel L. Duckham & Christina Soti-Ulberg & Take Naseri & Muagututia S. Reupena & Nicola L. Hawley, 2021. "Comparability of The Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire with Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity in Samoan Children: A Retrospective Analysis of Ola Tuputupua’e Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    8. Eydie N. Kramer & Christine A. Chard & Kellie Walters & Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, 2018. "Weight-Dependent Disparities in Adolescent Girls: The Impact of a Brief Pilot Intervention on Exercise and Healthy Eater Identity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, July.
    9. Philip S. Brenner, 2017. "Narratives of Response Error From Cognitive Interviews of Survey Questions About Normative Behavior," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 46(3), pages 540-564, August.
    10. Philip S. Brenner & John DeLamater, 2016. "Measurement Directiveness as a Cause of Response Bias," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 45(2), pages 348-371, May.
    11. I-Hua Chu & Yu-Ling Chen & Pei-Tzu Wu & Wen-Lan Wu & Lan-Yuen Guo, 2021. "The Associations between Self-Determined Motivation, Multidimensional Self-Efficacy, and Device-Measured Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-11, July.

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