2022/09/02 by Jessica M. E. Herzing, Annelies G. Blom, Bart Meuleman · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Mathematics · #Survey Methodology and Nonresponse #Economic and Environmental Valuation #Survey Sampling and Estimation Techniques
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/jssam/smac025
openalex publication_date 2022/09/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Abstract Despite its importance in terms of survey participation, the literature is sparse on how face-to-face interviewers differentially affect specific groups of sample units. This paper demonstrates how an alternative parametrization of the random components in multilevel models, so-called separate coding, delivers valuable insights into differential interviewer effects for specific groups of sample members. In the example of a face-to-face recruitment interview for a probability-based online panel, we detect small interviewer effects regarding survey participation for non-Internet households, whereas we find sizable interviewer effects for Internet households. We derive practical guidance for survey practitioners to address differential interviewer effects based on the proposed variance decomposition.