Publication details for Dr Patrick M Kuhn

Kuhn, Patrick M, Mellish, Samuel & Vivyan, Nick (2021). Psychological Threat and Turnout Misreporting. Electoral Studies 70: 102276.

• Publication type: Journal Article
• ISSN/ISBN: 0261-3794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electstud.2020.102276
• Further publication details on publisher web site
• Durham Research Online (DRO) - may include full text

Author(s) from Durham

• Professor Nick Vivyan
• Dr Patrick M Kuhn
• Mr Samuel Mellish

Abstract

suffer from misreporting, particularly
among non-voters. We investigate whether turnout misreporting in online surveys
can be reduced by two new turnout question designs aimed at strengthening or buffering respondent's self-integrity against the perceived psychological threat of admitting non-voting. Drawing on evidence from survey experiments embedded in vote validated online surveys after the 2016 UK EU Referendum, we find that neither technique significantly improves turnout reporting accuracy. Our findings inform innovations in survey measurement of turnout and sensitive survey topics more generally.