Thinking About Answers: The Application of Cognitive Processes to Survey Methodology (Research Methods for the Social Sciences) [Hardcover]

Seymour Sudman (Author), Norman M. Bradburn (Author), Norbert Schwarz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0787901202 | ISBN-13: 978-0787901202 | Edition: 1

In this important book, the authors explore what answers mean in relation to how people understand the world around them and communicate with one another. They offer practical and theoretical insights that will prove invaluable when developing questionnaires.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Will prove to be a great value to marketing research methodologists. Not only is the content there, but it is well written. I highly recommAnd Thinking About Answers to all who are seriously concerned with improving their use of survey method and questionnaire design. It belongs in the library of all serious researchers."

"For students and practitioners of survey research, this text provides a broad theoretical discussion of the survey process (as social encounter and cognitive task) and the difficulties respondents may have when attempting to provide answers."

From the Inside Flap

Renowned experts in survey methodology Seymour Sudman, Norman M. Bradburn, and Norbert Schwarz have come together to write Thinking About Answers, an essential resource book filled with practical and theoretical insights that will prove invaluable when developing questionnaires. In this important book, the authors explore what answers mean in relation to how people understand the world around them and communicate with one another. Thinking About Answers uses the most current insights from research on survey methods and cognitive psychology. The authors present the survey as a social conversation and investigate and document the meanings of the answers respondents give to researchers. Thinking About Answers offers new and significant advances in understanding survey research, including information on:

• how respondents understand questions, search their memories for relevant information, form judgments, and edit their answers
• the various theories on the storage and retrieval of "autobiographical memory"
• guidelines for alerting researchers on how context can influence the question-answering process to produce different results
• how the response alternatives offered to respondents affect the answers given
• strategies respondents use to make estimates
• how respondents report on their own behavior or the behavior of others
• and much more.

Thinking About Answers is an invaluable resource for practitioners and students of survey research, cognitive and methodology researchers, and students in methods or cognitive psychology classes.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (October 26, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787901202
• ISBN-13: 978-0787901202
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,177,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How do people answer our questions ?, April 3, 2000

By 

wombat18 (Missoula, MT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thinking About Answers: The Application of Cognitive Processes to Survey Methodology (Research Methods for the Social Sciences) (Hardcover)

The cognitive psychology behind questionnaire and interview development. One of the best reviews of the theory of asking questions. Represents years of expertise. Very recommended.

The notion of looking inside the question answering process is very important for folks writing and administering questionnaire surveys. This text doesn't so much tell you how to do surveys and interviews, as it gets you thinking about how you are interacting with your respondents.

For example, Sudman, et al. will get you thinking about surveys and interviews as a conversation - the norms and expectations that respondents will have of you and how they will interpret your questioning. Similarly, you will read about the four stage process that respondents go through in interpreting your questions, bringing up from memory the information they need to answer your questions, how they 'calculate' their answers, and then how they translate their ideas into an answer format.

I would also recommend Tourangeau, et al. "The Pyschology of Survey Response".

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Renting-to-own, October 30, 2006

By 

Eringatang "eringatang" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thinking About Answers: The Application of Cognitive Processes to Survey Methodology (Research Methods for the Social Sciences) (Hardcover)

After checking this book out of my university's library multiple times, I realize it's time to buy it. It is a great resource. Everyone should read at least a couple chapters before designing a survey, and especially before using the results of survey to draw any conclusions. I wish I could send a copy of this book to everyone who writes those poll questions for Time and Newsweek. Along those lines, reading this book will make you a much more informed survey respondent and magazine reader, as well.

2.0 out of 5 stars Unless someone is making you buy it..., October 3, 2010

By 

V. Fruiht (CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thinking About Answers: The Application of Cognitive Processes to Survey Methodology (Research Methods for the Social Sciences) (Hardcover)

Don't! This book is poorly written, difficult to interpret, full of typos, and just generally a waste of the cognitive resources Sudman talks about the precious scarcity of. It is repetitive, long-winded, and poorly organized, leaving the reader wondering what the authors were even trying to say. The information within this book, though, is critical to understanding good survey construction. If you can find an outline or abbreviated version of this information hold onto it!