The Effects of Information and Predisposition on Individual Responses to Hypothetical Survey Questions

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of information and predisposition on individual responses to hypothetical questions. By employing the empirical implications of theoretical models (EITM) framework, I confirm that information and predisposition have positive effects on individual substantive responses to the hypothetical questions about the independence-unification issue in Taiwan. Respondents with higher levels of information and predisposition are more likely to provide substantive responses. More importantly, information and predisposition exert a negative interaction effect on individual responses to hypothetical questions, which implies that when an individual counts more on information to respond to hypothetical questions, her predisposition plays a less important role in her responses and vice versa. Finally, this study suggests that hypothetical questions are effective to probe individual opinion on specific issues under hypothetical conditions.