Can a Magnet "Attract" Respondents? Incentive Type and Monetary Value Effects in a RDD Survey
Matt Jans
UCLA
John Rauch
Westat
Sherman Edwards
Westat
David Grant
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Royce Park
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Pre-paid cash incentives increase survey response rates in every mode, yet we still know little about the specific social and psychological mechanisms at work. Non-monetary incentives may activate social psychological mechanisms thought to be responsible for response (e.g., social exchange, norm of reciprocity, liking, social benefit, and positive affect), but cash incentives usually out-perform cash equivalents and gifts. Yet, recent evidence shows that novel incentives (e.g., a refrigerator magnet or pen) can perform as well as cash. To explore these novel finding further, we conducted an experiment in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). We randomized address-matched landline sample units to four prenotification incentive groups: $2 cash, $5 cash, thin magnet, or thick magnet. The magnets were about business card size and displayed the CHIS name and logo. Varying magnet thickness and weight allowed us to test whether the feel of the envelope increased cooperation by making the letter more likely to be opened. Results show that cash works better than magnets, but only for screener interview completion (not contact or extended adult interview completion).