What can we learn from open questions in surveys? A case study on non-voting reported in the 2013 German longitudinal election study
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Silber, Henning
Zuell, Cornelia
Kuehnel, Steffen-M.
Abstract / Description
Open survey questions are often used to evaluate closed questions. However, they can fulfil this function only if there is a strong link between answers to open questions and answers to related closed questions. Using reasons for non-voting reported in the German Longitudinal Election Study 2013, we investigated this link by examining whether the reported reasons for non-voting may be substantive reasons or ex-post legitimations. We tested five theoretically derived hypotheses about respondents who gave, or did not give, a specific reason. Results showed that (a) answers to open questions were indeed related to answers to closed questions and could be used in explanatory turnout models to predict voting behavior, and (b) the relationship between answers to open and closed questions and the predictive power of reasons given in response to the open questions were stronger in the post-election survey (reported behavior) than in the pre-election survey (intended behavior).
Keyword(s)
open questions data quality election non-voting random imputationPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2020-04-06
Journal title
Methodology
Volume
16
Issue
1
Page numbers
41–58
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Silber, H., Zuell, C., & Kuehnel, S.-M. (2020). What can we learn from open questions in surveys? A case study on non-voting reported in the 2013 German longitudinal election study. Methodology, 16(1), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.5964/meth.2801
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meth.v16i1.2801.pdfAdobe PDF - 232.85KBMD5: 28f789fb486b6ab81d6ba33d21ad6d6c
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Silber, Henning
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Zuell, Cornelia
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Kuehnel, Steffen-M.
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-04-14T11:24:33Z
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Made available on2022-04-14T11:24:33Z
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Date of first publication2020-04-06
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Abstract / DescriptionOpen survey questions are often used to evaluate closed questions. However, they can fulfil this function only if there is a strong link between answers to open questions and answers to related closed questions. Using reasons for non-voting reported in the German Longitudinal Election Study 2013, we investigated this link by examining whether the reported reasons for non-voting may be substantive reasons or ex-post legitimations. We tested five theoretically derived hypotheses about respondents who gave, or did not give, a specific reason. Results showed that (a) answers to open questions were indeed related to answers to closed questions and could be used in explanatory turnout models to predict voting behavior, and (b) the relationship between answers to open and closed questions and the predictive power of reasons given in response to the open questions were stronger in the post-election survey (reported behavior) than in the pre-election survey (intended behavior).en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationSilber, H., Zuell, C., & Kuehnel, S.-M. (2020). What can we learn from open questions in surveys? A case study on non-voting reported in the 2013 German longitudinal election study. Methodology, 16(1), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.5964/meth.2801en_US
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ISSN1614-2241
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/5684
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.6288
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/meth.2801
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.4232/1.12810
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2783
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Keyword(s)open questionsen_US
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Keyword(s)data qualityen_US
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Keyword(s)electionen_US
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Keyword(s)non-votingen_US
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Keyword(s)random imputationen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleWhat can we learn from open questions in surveys? A case study on non-voting reported in the 2013 German longitudinal election studyen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue1
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Journal titleMethodology
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Page numbers41–58
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Volume16
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Visible tag(s)Version of Recorden_US