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Typical complaints: Misleading respondents

The problem

Respondents are misled, or feel misled, by researchers in a number of ways. The interview that was to take “a couple of minutes” stretches to twenty. The purpose of the interview is unclear or the questions seem irrelevant. A promised voucher in return for participation does not arrive. All can be aggravating to respondents and leave them with a poor impression of market research.

How it can be avoided

Most of these problems can be avoided by a combination of honesty and good administration. Researchers should make sure that information given to respondents is complete and correct. This is in line with the principle of informed consent that underpins much of the MRS Code of Conduct. A willing respondent supplies accurate and better data. More fundamentally, if a promise is made to a respondent, make sure it is kept. Where non-member interviewers are used, it is the duty of responsible members to make sure that they are aware of, and follow, the MRS Code of Conduct.

Applicable Rules

A3 Members must act honestly in dealings with respondents, clients (actual or potential), employers, employees, sub-contractors and the general public.

A7 Members must take reasonable steps to ensure that others do not breach or cause a breach of this Code.
Comment: This includes:

• Members taking reasonable steps to ensure that the people with whom they work (including other members, non-member research practitioners, colleagues, clients, consultants, sub-contractors) are sufficiently familiar with this Code that they are unlikely to breach or cause it to be breached unknowingly or unintentionally, and
• Members with responsibility for implementing processes, procedures and contracts, taking reasonable steps to ensure that they are such that this Code is unlikely to be breached or caused to be breached by others unknowingly or unintentionally.

B11 A follow up interview with a respondent can be carried out only if the respondent ’s permission has been obtained at the previous interview. The only exception to this is re-contact for quality control purposes.

B12 Any re-contact must match the assurances given to respondents at the time that permission was gained eg when re- contact was to occur, the purpose and by whom.

B17 Respondents must not be misled when being asked for cooperation to participate in a research project.

B18 A respondent’s right to withdraw from a research project at any stage must be respected.

B19 Members must ensure that respondents are able to check without difficulty the identity and bona fides of any individual and/or their employer conducting a research project (including any sub-contractors).

B20 For telephone and face to face interviews, calls must not be made to a household (local time) before 9am weekdays and Saturdays, 10am Sundays or after 9pm any day, unless by appointment.

B21 Members must ensure that all of the following are clearly communicated to the respondent:

• the name of the interviewer (an Interviewer’s Identity Card must be shown if face to face)
• an assurance that the interview will be carried out according to the MRS Code of Conduct
• the general subject of the interview
• the purpose of the interview
• if asked, the likely length of the interview
• any costs likely to be incurred by the respondent.

B22 Respondents (including employees in employee research) must not be unduly pressurised to participate.

B23 Members must delete any responses given by the respondent, if requested, and if this is reasonable and practicable.

B24 Recruiters/ interviewers must not reveal to any other respondents the detailed answers provided by any respondent or the identity of any other respondent interviewed.

Incentives

B25 Where incentives are offered, Members must clearly inform the respondent who will administer the incentive.
Comment: Incentives need not be of a monetary nature to be acceptable to a respondent as a token of appreciation. With the client’s permission, an offer to supply the respondent with a brief summary report of the project’s findings can sometimes prove a better alternative encouragement to participate in a research project. Other alternatives are for example:

• Charity donations
• Non-monetary gifts
• Prize draws (for prize draws the rules, as detailed in the MRS Prize Draws Guidance Note, must be adhered to).
  

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