INSTRUMENTAL RESPONSE STRATEGIES IN OPINION INTERVIEWS
In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 36, Heft 1, S. 69-79
ISSN: 0033-362X
Earlier studies of response bias in interviewing have emphasized distortions produced by the R's desire to please the interviewer. Here, the focus is on alternative response strategies, in which the R attempts to make his opinion prevail by influencing the interviewer. 2 field exp's demonstrate this proposition. In the 1st, when R's were informed that the interviewer was a member of the firefighters union, they expressed greater disapproval of firefighters strikes-although they attempted to 'ingratiate' themselves with the interviewer by giving favorable general opinions of firefighters. In the 2nd exp, parents were more likely to give extreme responses to a question about possible gov'al control of TV violence, when they thought the interviewer represented a gov'al body that might exercise such control. These 'distorted' opinions are not invalid, but indicate the need for careful interpretation of interview data, & suggest that a person's opinions occupy a range of possible responses under various soc conditions. AA.