7.10 Anonymous or confidential? One of the most important non-government surveys

Question

7.10 Anonymous or confidential? One of the most important non-government surveys in the United States is the General Social Survey (see Example 7 in Chapter 1, page 10). The GSS regularly monitors public opinion on a wide variety of political and social issues. Interviews are conducted in person in the subject’s home. Are a subject’s responses to GSS questions anonymous, confidential, or both? Explain your answer. You may wish to visit the GSS Web site at www.norc.org/projects/General+Social+Survey.htm.

(part of what you need to answer this question correctly)

EXAMPLE 7 The General Social Survey
Social science research makes heavy use of sampling. The General Social Survey (GSS), carried out every second year by the National Opin- ion Research Center at the University of Chicago, is the most important social science sample survey. The variables cover the subject’s personal and family background, experiences and habits, and attitudes and opin- ions on subjects from abortion to war.
Population: Adults (aged 18 and over) living in households in the United States. The population does not include adults in institutions such as prisons and college dormitories. It also does not include persons who cannot be interviewed in English.
Sample: About 3000 adults interviewed in person in their homes.

Explanation / Answer

Since the interviews are conducted in person, in the subject's home, the subject's responses cannot be anonymous. The researcher who conducts the interview will be able to identify the person.

The GSS website mentions that "Everyone working on this study has signed a pledge to keep all information provided by participants completely confidential and secure". So we can safely assume that confidentiality is strictly maintained.

Hence the General Social Survey is Confidential but not Anonymous.

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