Inquiry into the Nature of a Leading Question
Leading Questions: A Potential Pitfall in Survey Design
Surveys are a powerful tool for gathering insights, but they can be compromised by leading questions. These are types of questions that subtly influence respondents to answer in a particular way, often biasing results.
Characteristics of Leading Questions
Leading questions often embed assumptions that push respondents towards a particular answer. They imply desired or socially acceptable responses, and may use skewed or biased scales that favor positive or negative answers. Moreover, they can pressure respondents by framing questions conditionally on positive experiences.
Examples of Leading Questions and Types
- Direct Implication Leading Questions
These questions assume a positive scenario and ask respondents to agree or confirm it. For instance, "If you liked your meal, would you come back again soon?" or "If you enjoyed this movie, would you recommend it to friends?" These questions presuppose a good experience and nudge respondents towards a positive answer.
- Scale-Based Leading Questions
These questions use response scales weighted towards favorable options, giving more ways to express satisfaction than dissatisfaction. An example scale might be:
- Extremely satisfied
- Satisfied
- Somewhat satisfied
- Somewhat dissatisfied
- Dissatisfied
This scale implicitly encourages positive feedback by offering more positive categories.
- Biased Wording
An example of biased wording can be seen in branding, such as "Do you think our new logo would look good in green?" This question assumes a positive evaluation and leads the respondent towards agreement.
- Polarized (Dichotomous) Questions
While not necessarily leading by themselves, polarized questions can become so if phrased to favor one answer. For example, "Do you agree that our company provides excellent customer service?" This question can lead respondents towards agreement due to the positive framing.
Avoiding Leading Questions
To ensure that the data collected in a survey is accurate and unbiased, it's important to avoid leading questions. Non-leading questions avoid assumptions and offer neutral wording with balanced answer options to avoid bias.
In summary, leading questions are pitfalls in survey design that can skew results by influencing respondents' answers through assumptions, biased wording, or imbalanced answer choices. Avoiding them helps achieve more accurate, reliable data.
[1] Fowler, F. J., & Mangold, W. W. (2015). Survey Research Methods. Sage Publications. [2] Groves, T., Lyberg, L. M., Singer, E., & Lepkowski, J. M. (2011). Survey Methodology: A Guide for Social Scientists. Wiley-Blackwell. [3] Bradburn, N. M., & Sudman, S. (1988). Questionnaire Design and Attitude Measurement. Sage Publications. [4] Schwarz, N., & Sudman, S. (1996). Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design_. Sage Publications. [5] Tourangeau, R., Rips, L. J., & Rasinski, K. (2000). The Psychology of Questionnaire Response*. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
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