15.11.2021 Neuer Preprint: Indirekte Befragung & COVID-19

Sensitive attitudes and adherence to recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparing direct and indirect questioning techniques.

Autoren: Tabea H. Kaufmann, Lau Lilleholt, Robert Böhm, Ingo Zettler, & Daniel W. Heck

Abstract:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, different behavioral measures were imposed to curb the spread of the virus. In a pre-registered study based on a quota-representative sample of adult Danish citizens (N = 1,031), we compared the prevalence estimates of self-reported handwashing, physical distancing, and attitudes towards the behavioral measures between people surveyed with a direct and an indirect questioning approach (i.e., the crosswise model). Moreover, we investigated two possible predictors for the sensitive attributes, namely (1) empathy for people vulnerable to the virus and (2) Honesty-Humility from the HEXACO Model of Personality. We also examined the interaction of both predictors with the questioning format. Results indicate that participants reported greater adherence to handwashing and physical distancing guidelines when asked directly rather than when asked indirectly. The overall attitudes regarding the behavioral measures did not differ between the questioning formats. Furthermore, empathy for people vulnerable to COVID-19 was negatively linked to nonadherence regarding handwashing and physical distancing, whereas Honesty-Humility was negatively linked to nonadherence regarding physical distancing.

Preprint: https://psyarxiv.com/tp6ja