Abstract
This paper examines the frequency of midpoint responses in agree/disagree scales in a survey measuring attitudes toward science and scientific policy, a low-salience and difficult topic. It also examines the contribution of individual differences to explain the tendency to select this option. It is assumed that the use of the midpoint “Neither agree nor disagree” (NA/ND) in Agree/Disagree (A/D) scales is to some extent an indication of satisficing. It is also assumed that there are individual differences in respondents’ tendency to select the NA/ND response. Using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model we include Krosnick’s regulators of satisficing, socio-demographics and individual differences as predictors. We find that the contribution of the regulators of satisficing identified by Krosnick is small. In turn, factors associated with individual differences explain a great amount of variance on the number of NA/ND responses. We conclude that the presence of this option in a survey of a low-salience topic increases satisficing as strategy of the respondents to deal with the cognitive burden of both the A/D scale and the difficulty of the topic. Furthermore, the number of NA/ND responses may be understood as an indicator of individual differences in the propensity of respondents to satisficing when answering a survey on a low-salience or difficult topic.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.