Confidentiality Assurances and Response: A Quantitative Review of the Experimental Literature
Public Opinion QuarterlyPublished 1 January 1995
Eleanor Singer, Dawn R. Von Thurn, Esther R. Miller
Citations187
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.72
SNIP1.59
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Abstract
This article tests the general hypothesis that a stronger assurance of confidentiality improves survey response by means of a meta-analysis of the experimental literature. No support is found for the general hypothesis, but the subsidiary hypothesis, that confidentiality assurances improve response when the data asked about are sensitive, is supported. Under those circumstances, the effect of confidentiality assurances is small but statistically significant and is robust in the presence of a variety of control variables.
Keywords
Social SciencesMathematics
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