Measuring attentiveness on self-administered surveys

Abstract

Inattentive and distracted respondents are increasingly a concern for survey researchers. The failure of respondents to pay attention to questions and treatments introduces noise into data sets, weakening correlations between items and increasing the likelihood of null findings. Various methods have been proposed to identify inattentive respondents. The Instructional Manipulation Check, or “Screener", is one such method. While Screeners and other methods hold potential for identifying inattentive respondents, questions remain regarding their implementation. In this talk, I will discuss the costs and benefits of using measures of attentiveness.