Making energy surveys more impactful: Testing material and non-monetary response strategies

Frederiks, ER; Romanach, LM; Berry, A; Toscas, P

Making energy surveys more impactful: Testing material and non-monetary response strategies

Frederiks, ER Romanach, LM Berry, A

Toscas, P

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Energy Research and Social Science, 2020, 63
Issue Date:: 2020-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Frederiks, ER
dc.contributor.author	Romanach, LM
dc.contributor.author	Berry, A https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2499-9491
dc.contributor.author	Toscas, P
dc.date.accessioned	2021-02-28T01:00:52Z
dc.date.available	2021-02-28T01:00:52Z
dc.date.issued	2020-05-01
dc.identifier.citation	Energy Research and Social Science, 2020, 63
dc.identifier.issn	2214-6296
dc.identifier.issn	2214-6326
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146520
dc.description.abstract	© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Recent years have seen a growth in energy research that integrates social and behavioural sciences. A core component of this work involves collecting human data, commonly via surveys and field experiments. But there are often barriers to recruiting large and representative samples of participants, with sampling bias and non-response error posing threats to validity. Identifying cost-effective ways to increase participation in energy research is therefore important for strengthening the rigor, utility and generalisability of studies in this area. To this end, the current study harnesses an experimental design to test pathways for making energy surveys more impactful – specifically by improving response rates and times, lowering sampling bias, and enhancing overall cost-effectiveness. As part of a postal survey on household energy use in Australia, a set of randomised controlled trials were conducted to test the impact of four strategies: incentives, an envelope message, a handwritten sticky note, and a reminder postcard. A 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design was applied to assess both individual and interactive effects. While material incentives in the form of an upfront token gift and prize draw were ineffective in improving response relative to the control survey, results revealed that a handwritten sticky note expressing upfront thanks for participating – designed to serve as an intrinsically motivating attentional cue – improved both the rate and timeliness of response. Three combinations of strategies yielded significantly higher response rates than the control, but they were more expensive on a ‘dollar cost per response’ basis. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation.ispartof	Energy Research and Social Science
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.erss.2019.101409
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1604 Human Geography, 1605 Policy and Administration
dc.title	Making energy surveys more impactful: Testing material and non-monetary response strategies
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	63
utslib.for	1604 Human Geography
utslib.for	1605 Policy and Administration
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/A/DRsch The Data Science Institute
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-02-28T01:00:49Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	63

Abstract:

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Recent years have seen a growth in energy research that integrates social and behavioural sciences. A core component of this work involves collecting human data, commonly via surveys and field experiments. But there are often barriers to recruiting large and representative samples of participants, with sampling bias and non-response error posing threats to validity. Identifying cost-effective ways to increase participation in energy research is therefore important for strengthening the rigor, utility and generalisability of studies in this area. To this end, the current study harnesses an experimental design to test pathways for making energy surveys more impactful – specifically by improving response rates and times, lowering sampling bias, and enhancing overall cost-effectiveness. As part of a postal survey on household energy use in Australia, a set of randomised controlled trials were conducted to test the impact of four strategies: incentives, an envelope message, a handwritten sticky note, and a reminder postcard. A 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design was applied to assess both individual and interactive effects. While material incentives in the form of an upfront token gift and prize draw were ineffective in improving response relative to the control survey, results revealed that a handwritten sticky note expressing upfront thanks for participating – designed to serve as an intrinsically motivating attentional cue – improved both the rate and timeliness of response. Three combinations of strategies yielded significantly higher response rates than the control, but they were more expensive on a ‘dollar cost per response’ basis. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146520