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A test of the stranger-interviewer norm in the Dominican Republic

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  • Mariano Sana
  • Guy Stecklov
  • Alexander A. Weinreb

Abstract

We offer the first empirical test of the ‘stranger-interviewer norm’, according to which interviewers in social, demographic, and health surveys should be strangers—not personally familiar with respondents. We use data from an experimental survey in the Dominican Republic that featured three types of interviewer: from out of town (outsiders); local but unknown to the respondent (local-strangers); and local with a previous relationship to the respondent (insiders). We were able to validate answers to up to 18 questions per respondent, mainly by checking official documents in their possession. Contrary to expectations derived from the stranger-interviewer norm, respondents were more reluctant to show the documents needed for validation when the interviewer was an outsider. Furthermore, and again at odds with the stranger-interviewer norm, we found no difference in accuracy by type of interviewer. Our results have important implications for the selection of survey interviewers in less developed and non-Western settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariano Sana & Guy Stecklov & Alexander A. Weinreb, 2016. "A test of the stranger-interviewer norm in the Dominican Republic," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 70(1), pages 73-92, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpstxx:v:70:y:2016:i:1:p:73-92
    DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2016.1139740
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephane Helleringer & Daniel Arhinful & Benjamin Abuaku & Michael Humes & Emily Wilson & Andrew Marsh & Adrienne Clermont & Robert E Black & Jennifer Bryce & Agbessi Amouzou, 2018. "Using community-based reporting of vital events to monitor child mortality: Lessons from rural Ghana," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Yoonjoung Choi & Qingfeng Li & Blake Zachary, 2018. "Measuring fertility through mobile‒phone based household surveys: Methods, data quality, and lessons learned from PMA2020 surveys," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(55), pages 1663-1698.
    3. Claire E. Altman & Bridget K. Gorman & Sergio Chávez, 2018. "Exposure to Violence, Coping Strategies, and Diagnosed Mental Health Problems Among Adults in a Migrant-Sending Community in Central Mexico," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 37(2), pages 229-260, April.

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