Reducing socially desirable responses in epidemiologic surveys: an extension of the randomized-response technique.
BACKGROUND
Even though the validity of self-reports of sensitive behaviors is threatened by social desirability bias, interviews and questionnaires are widely used in epidemiologic surveys on these topics.


METHODS
In the randomized-response technique, a randomization device is used to determine whether participants are asked to respond truthfully or whether they are prompted to provide a prespecified response. In this study, the randomized-response technique was extended by using a cheating-detection modification to obtain more valid data. The survey was on the dental hygiene habits of Chinese college students.


RESULTS
Whereas only 35% of men and 10% of women admitted to insufficient dental hygiene when questioned directly, 51% of men and 20% of women attested to this socially undesirable behavior in a randomized-response survey.


CONCLUSIONS
Given the considerable discrepancy between the results obtained by direct questioning and by using the randomized-response technique, we propose that this technique be considered for use in epidemiologic studies of sensitive behaviors.
Moshagen
Morten
M
Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany. morten.moshagen@uni-duesseldorf.de
Musch
Jochen
J
Ostapczuk
Martin
M
Zhao
Zengmei
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D002681:China; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012928:Social Desirability; D055815:Young Adult