The Turnout Gap in Surveys: Explanations and Solutions

Autor/inn/en	DeBell, Matthew; Krosnick, Jon A.; Gera, Katie; Yeager, David S.; McDonald, Michael P.
Titel	The Turnout Gap in Surveys: Explanations and Solutions
Quelle	In: Sociological Methods & Research, 49 (2020) 4, S.1133-1162 (30 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0049-1241
DOI	10.1177/0049124118769085
Schlagwörter	Voting; National Surveys; Elections; Computation; Accuracy; Social Desirability; Bias; Interviews; Memory; Measurement Techniques; Time; Questioning Techniques; Response Rates (Questionnaires); Attrition (Research Studies); General Social Survey; Current Population Survey + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Abstimmung; Election; Wahl; Soziales Bedürfnis; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Gedächtnis; Messtechnik; Zeit; Befragungstechnik; Fragetechnik; Antwortkontrolle
Abstract	Postelection surveys regularly overestimate voter turnout by 10 points or more. This article provides the first comprehensive documentation of the turnout gap in three major ongoing surveys (the General Social Survey, Current Population Survey, and American National Election Studies), evaluates explanations for it, interprets its significance, and suggests means to continue evaluating and improving survey measurements of turnout. Accuracy was greater in face-to-face than telephone interviews, consistent with the notion that the former mode engages more respondent effort with less social desirability bias. Accuracy was greater when respondents were asked about the most recent election, consistent with the hypothesis that forgetting creates errors. Question wordings designed to minimize source confusion and social desirability bias improved accuracy. Rates of reported turnout were lower with proxy reports than with self-reports, which may suggest greater accuracy of proxy reports. People who do not vote are less likely to participate in surveys than voters are. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01