NCJ Number
68157
Journal
Sociological Methods and Research Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 400-419
Date Published
1980
Length
20 pages
Annotation
RACE-OF-INTERVIEWER EFFECTS ARE EXAMINED IN A NONEXPERIMENTAL NATIONAL SURVEY, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR OVERCOMING UNDESIRABLE RACE-OF-INTERVIEWER EFFECTS ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
THE DATA EXAMINED WERE COLLECTED BY THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER IN THE SPRINGS OF 1972 THROUGH 1977 AS PART OF THE GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY (GSS). THE UNIVERSE REPRESENTED IN THESE SURVEYS IS THE 'NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED ENGLISH-SPEAKING POPULATION OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.' MOST ANALYSES ARE BASED ON THE 1977 SURVEY, WHICH USED A FULL PROBABILITY DESIGN TO THE HOUSEHOLD LEVEL, WITH RANDOM SELECTION OF RESPONDENTS WITHIN A HOUSEHOLD. THERE WERE 1,530 PERSONS INTERVIEWED IN 1977, REPRESENTING A COMPLETION RATE OF 73.5 PERCENT. THIS FULL PROBABILITY DESIGN WAS ALSO USED FOR HALF OF BOTH THE 1975 AND 1976 SURVEYS, WITH COMPARABLE COMPLETION RATES. DIFFERENCES IN THE MEAN RESPONSE OBTAINED BY WHITE AND BLACK INTERVIEWERS WERE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THE RACE OF THE RESPONDENTS. RACE-OF-INTERVIEWER EFFECTS LARGE ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY THE PRACTICE OF MATCHING INTERVIEWER AND RESPONDENT RACE OF INTERVIEWS ON RACIAL TOPICS WERE FOUND FOR BOTH BLACK AND WHITE RESPONDENTS. A FEW SUCH EFFECTS WERE FOUND FOR NONRACIAL ITEMS AMONG BLACKS, BUT THE RANGE OF ITEMS INVOLVED IS SMALLER THAN WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES. THE IMPACT OF RACE-OF-INTERVIEWER EFFECTS ON MEAN ESTIMATES IN THE GSS APPEARS TO BE SMALL FOR WHITE RESPONDENTS DUE TO THE SMALL PROPORTION OF CROSS-RACE INTERVIEWS. THE PROPORTION OF CROSS-RACE INTERVIEWS AMONG BLACKS IS LARGER AND MORE VARIABLE OVER THE YEARS, AND THE IMPACT OF RACE-OF-INTERVIEWER EFFECTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN ANALYZING ITEMS WHICH SHOW THESE EFFECTS. TABULAR DATA, NOTES, AND 14 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.