Interviewer Effect in a Survey of Drinking Practices

Abstract

I~I A study investigates the relationship of interviewer characterstics to the responses of their intcrviewees in a survey in a relatively sensitive area-drinking practices. Generally, respondents seein to have reacted to easily ascertainable characteristics of the interviewers, such as sex, status (as measured by education, occupation, and clothing), and religion. The attitudes of the interviewer toward his interviewing were also related to respondents' reported drinking. I t is concluded that interviewing is a social relationship of brief duration in which the respondent's performance reflects norms that tend to emerge based on the information each of the participants is able to learn about the other.

Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy: Baseline Data from a Scottish Prospective Study

“…Evidence suggests that such interviewers might elicit fuller details of self-reported alcohol consumption than people who are obviously medical or clinic staff [8,9],…”

The Potential for Crime Overreporting in Criminal Victimization Surveys

“…Interviewers are another source of errors in surveys. It is well documented that survey responses are affected by the characteristics of the interviewers and the nature of their interactions with respondents (Kish, 1962;Phillips and Clancy, 1972;Cosper, 1972;Williams, 1968). The demeanor of the interviewer, his rapport with respondents, the way he phrases questions, and the manner in which he clarifies ambiguities are all potentially biasing factors.…”