Set Them Free: Improving Data Quality by Broadening the Interviewer’s Tasks1

Abstract

The paper deals with a highly controversial issue in survey data collection: the standardization of the interviewer’s behaviour during the interviewee’s selection of response alternatives. In the light of a large set of data drawn from several methodological studies published in the last 50 years, the author documents a counter‐intuitive issue: (1) interviewer’s errors are of secondary importance and far smaller than respondents’ errors; and (2) in order to minimize respondent’s errors, we need to broaden the interviewer’s tasks. Focusing on the unsolved problem of multiple word meanings of response alternatives as a relevant part of response bias, the author argues that data quality can be achieved by entrusting to the interviewer a more active role. Of course, the aim of reducing respondent’s errors by broadening interviewer’s tasks will surely produce an increase in the interviewer’s effects on answers. However, the dilemma to be faced is which kind of errors we prefer (and are more useful) to minimize.