Search results

Randomization has been widely used in surveys for various purposes such as within household respondent selection, rotation of questions and answer choices, and split sample (or ballot) technique for survey experiments. The randomization is usually based on a random number generating process whereby the computer generates random numbers which are then used to classify respondents in different groups. In this study, we use an alternative randomization based on the Halton sequence. The method is used in a survey with a political experiment which requires randomization of the political candidate's characteristics. Our survey results demonstrate that the Halton sequence can be quite effective in randomly assigning respondents into groups, especially in surveys with small sample sizes

Randomization has been widely used in surveys for various purposes such as within household respondent selection, rotation of questions and answer choices, and split sample (or ballot) technique for survey experiments. The randomization is usually based on a random number generating process whereby the computer generates random numbers which are then used to classify respondents in different groups. In this study, we use an alternative randomization based on the Halton sequence. The method is used in a survey with a political experiment which requires randomization of the political candidate's characteristics. Our survey results demonstrate that the Halton sequence can be quite effective in randomly assigning respondents into groups, especially in surveys with small sample sizes.

AbstractMore research than ever before uses public opinion data to investigate society and politics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Ethnic identities are widely theorized to mediate many of the political attitudes and behaviors that MENA surveys commonly seek to measure, but, to date, no research has systematically investigated how the observable ethnic category(s) of the interviewer may influence participation and answers given in Middle East surveys. Here we measure the impact of one highly salient and outwardly observable ascriptive attribute of interviewers—nationality—using data from an original survey experiment conducted in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar. Applying the total survey error (TSE) framework and utilizing an innovative nonparametric matching technique, we estimate treatment effects on both nonresponse error and measurement error. We find that Qatari nationals are more likely to begin and finish a survey, and respond to questions, when interviewed by a fellow national. Qataris also edit their answers to sensitive questions relating to the unequal status of citizens and noncitizens, reporting views that are more exclusionary and less positive toward out-group members, when the interviewer is a conational. The findings have direct implications for consumers and producers of a growing number of surveys conducted inside and outside the Arab world, where migration and conflict have made respondent-interviewer mismatches along national and other ethnic dimensions more salient and more common.

We review existing methods for sampling an adult from a household and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of these methods with respect to issues relevant for sampling in the Middle East and developing countries. We then develop a new, flexible within-household sampling scheme that takes full advantage of the fact that household size must be obtained to produce unbiased estimates. The proposed method randomly selects an adult conditional on the number of adults in the household. The method was applied in a national sample in Qatar and it proved it was effective in a country where large household sizes are common and the information required for other sampling methods is generally not known. Adapted from the source document.

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women's body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity's body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture.

This study examines Qatari citizens' attitudes toward migrant workers. While much research has been conducted on citizens' attitudes toward the abolition, tightening, or loosening of the Kafāla system in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with regard to migrant workers' residency rights, and on their contribution to the economic development of these countries, little is known about how citizens' religiosity and social engagement impact their acceptance of migrant workers. In the present study, we address this question by examining the effects of religious and social capital on Qatari citizens' preferences for having Arab and Western migrant workers as neighbours, drawing on data from two nationally representative surveys in Qatar. The results indicate that, even after controlling for a wide range of socio-demographic attributes, social capital in terms of trust and bridging social ties has a strong effect on the Qatari nationals' preferences.