A Life History Calendar in a CAWI? Evidence From Higher Education Research

Lang, Sebastian | Carstensen, Johann

Abstract

Because retrospective collection of life history data requires respondents to retrieve and provide complex information, the process is highly demanding for respondents and prone to error. While a standard questionnaire does not align well with the structure of autobiographical memory, the use of a life history calendar (LHC) may facilitate cognitive processes and reduce response burden. It is unclear, however, whether LHCs yield favourable effects in self-administered mixed-device surveys. To clarify the effects of LHCs, we developed a survey on educational and occupational trajectories in a highly educated population. The survey included an experimental variation using a responsive LHC. We find mixed evidence for an increase in response time and perceived difficulty. In addition, we confirm a favourable impact on one measure of data quality, while another measure was affected negatively, and a third measure was not affected at all. Concerning the probability of breaking off, the LHC treatment did not have an effect. In addition, heterogeneous effects appear by reference period and type of device used to participate in the survey.

You can find the published version of this paper here. It is part of a collective volume "Survey-Methoden in der Hochschulforschung" in the book series Higher Education Research and Science Studies