Could survey technique or other research conditions “change” our ecological behaviour? – Testing response bias in consumer research

Abstract

Based on concerns raised in other disciplines, the presented study aimed to investigate whether response bias affects the results of declarative research on ecological behaviour. The study was conducted in order to determine how the design and execution of declarative tests influenced the obtained results. A series of experiments was conducted in which the research techniques, persons
delivering the surveys, or order of questions were changed or modified, or where little incentives were used. The tests showed that the results of declarative research on ecological behaviour is subject to response bias. The respondents declared rarer non-ecological behaviour in face-to-face interviews than in surveys, when the study was conducted by a lecturer, and when they were first asked to express their opinion on this type of behaviour. This effect weakened as the respondents answered further questions in the survey.