Citation

Leslie LL. Soc. Sci. Res. 1972; 1(3): 323-334.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1972, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0049-089X(72)90080-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

At present, the credibility of survey research findings is largely a function of response rate. Low return rates are presumed to suggest biases in data. This paper demonstrates that when surveys are made of homogeneous populations (persons having some strong group identity) concerning their attitudes, opinions, perspectives, etc., toward issues concerning the group, significant response-rate bias is probably unlikely. This is because on matters related to the group, persons having strong identification with the group tend to respond more as members of the group than as members of some social classification, such as the middle class, those over 50 years of age or members of the Democratic party. Although at first glance these survey conditions may seem rather unique, most surveys in the social sciences are probably precisely of this sort. Most are probably of homogeneous populations on matters obviously concerning them.