Increasing nonresponse rates in surveys are a matter of concern internationally, as low response rates put the quality of survey data into question. The risk of biased data is high if nonrespondents differ significantly from respondents. In arguing that sample persons' personality traits are decisive in survey participation decisions, Denise Saßenroth investigates the mechanisms causing increasing nonresponse rates. Based on a modification of the Social Isolation Hypothesis, she analyses the impact of sample persons' personality on participation decisions with data from the German General Social Survey and the LISS Panel from the Netherlands.

Publication in the field of social sciences

Autorentext

Dr. Denise Saßenroth is a social scientist and research associate at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin).

Inhalt
An Introduction to Survey Nonresponse.- Explanations in the Social Sciences: The Macro-Micro-Macro Model.- The Contribution of Personality Traits to Explaining Survey Refusals.- Participation in the German General Social Survey.- Participation in the LISS Panel.