Recent evidence on the relationship between anonymity and response variables for mail surveys

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 1986 · Volume 14 · Issue 1

Abstract

Although most marketing researchers and texts recommend guaranteeing respondents anonymity in mail surveys, emirical evidence on this issue is dated, and often is based on results from student or occupational samples. The present study examines the impact of anonymity on item omission, response bias, and response quality. Based on a representative sample of respondents from a Southern SMSA, it was found that lack of anonymity had minor effects on response variables. Anonymous respondents provided slightly less information to complex questions, and lower-income respondents, nonwhites, and homeowners were more likely to identify themselves on the return envelope. Yet, the responses of these groups did not differ substantively from answers of other respondents on the range of questionnaire items examined.

Keywords

Response Bias, Mail Survey, Response Quality, Mail Questionnaire, Significant Pairwise Difference

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