Letting the cat out of the bag: The impact of respondent multitasking on disclosure of socially undesirable information and answers to knowledge questions
In: Survey methods: insights from the field, S. 1-16
ISSN: 2296-4754
Previous research shows that a high proportion of respondents engage in other activities
while answering surveys. In this study, we examine the effect of multitasking in reporting
sensitive information and socially undesirable behavior (e.g., substance use, mental health,
gambling) along with reporting of knowledge/awareness of publicly funded programs. The
dataset comes from a dual-frame random digit dial telephone survey of adults in a
Midwestern state (N = 1,761) who were asked about their attitudes and behaviors toward
gambling and health-related behaviors. The results of the study reveal that nearly half of the
respondents engaged in multitasking activities (46.9%). In addition, it was found that
multitaskers disclosed more socially undesirable information and reported lower levels of
knowledge than non-multitaskers. The implications of these findings and how they fit in with
previous work are discussed.