Publication Date
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Nathan Bowling (Advisor), Gary Burns (Committee Member), Debra Steele-Johnson (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Insufficient Effort Responding (IER) can negatively impact self-report data quality. The purpose of the current study was to investigate questionnaire length as a predictor of IER and to examine whether the presence of a monetary incentive moderates the relationship between questionnaire length and IER. I predicted that participants who were assigned to complete longer questionnaires would engage in more IER than would respondents who were assigned to complete shorter questionnaires. I predicted that the effects of questionnaire length on IER would be minimized by the presence of a monetary incentive to respond carefully. Using a sample of undergraduate students (N = 362), I manipulated questionnaire length and the presence of an incentive message. Results showed that questionnaire length did not predict IER. An incentive message reduced the incidence of IER for two of three IER indices. Results showed no significant Questionnaire Length x Incentive interactions. These findings have important implications for the use of long research questionnaires and for the use of reward incentives to as a means to prevent IER.
Page Count
115
Department or Program
Department of Psychology
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Copyright
Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
