The increasingly common use of an Internet-based survey, as chosen for this research project, has several advantages and disadvantages. Relevant to the research were the advantages found in four areas: the level of anonymity that activities on the Internet are perceived to guarantee, the potential for the online survey to screen potential participants for their suitability to this study, the convenience of access for participants, and the ease of administration for the researcher.
Previous research into the advantages and disadvantages of online surveys suggests that the use of an Internet-based questionnaire takes advantage of the frequently reported feeling of anonymity when engaging in Internet activities (Couper, 2000; Joinson, 1999; Kiesler & Sproull, 1986; Sproull & Kiesler, 1991; Tourangeau, Couper & Steiger, 2003), reducing socially desirable responding and impression management, when
compared to anonymous paper-and-pencil surveys (Couper, 2000; Joinson, 1999; Sproull & Kiesler, 1991). ‘Socially desirable responding’ refers to the tendency of individuals to stretch the truth in an effort to make a good (socially desirable) impression on the
Research method
up a façade, but are largely unaware of this (Anastasi & Urbina, 1997). It is proposed that the main reason for the reduction of social desirability and impression management found in online surveys, lies in the effect the perceived anonymity of the Internet has on reducing social anxiety and social desirability for respondents, leading to an increased degree of disinhibition (Matheson & Zanna, 1988). This effect is especially found when surveys include highly sensitive topics (Tourangeau, Couper & Steiger, 2003), such as drug use (Joinson, 1999) or unauthorized copying of software (Kiesler & Sproull, 1986). Participants in surveys, particularly those involving sensitive topics, have an understandable desire to maintain high degrees of anonymity towards the researcher (D’Ambra & Rice, 2001; Ranganathan & Ganapathy, 2002), and the Internet offers the opportunity for a largely anonymous communication environment (Kling, Lee, Teich & Frankel, 1999).
These characteristics of the Internet are valuable for the research here documented which by its very nature (personal web use) explores a behaviour that can present
individuals with a moral dilemma. Being asked to admit engaging in PWU, and reporting rather personal details about such a behaviour, often triggers socially acceptable
responses by participants, either through the processes of social desirability or impression management. Using the Internet to collect data for the current research is seen as one way to reduce the effects of social desirability and impression management.
Another argument for the use of an Internet-based questionnaire is that the online survey method in itself allows screening and self-selection of the targeted population. The targeted population for this research were those people who use the Internet at work, either for work-related reasons only, or for a mixture of work and personal interest. Past research has indeed suggested that Internet-based surveys attract distinctly different respondents from print surveys and therefore their results may not be generalisable to the general population (e.g. Liaw, 2002; Pitkow, 1997). Because the target population is individuals using the Internet at work, generalisability to other populations was not required, and the use of the Internet as a participant screening tool was desirable. For individuals to use the Internet at work on a fairly regular basis, it is necessary to have a certain degree of
familiarity with, attitude towards, and knowledge about its use (Klaus, Gyries & Wen, 2003). These skills, knowledge, and attitudes are seen as parts of the processes that can lead to PWU in the workplace (Anandarajan, Simmers & Igbaria, 2000). Therefore, approaching potential participants via email and requesting participation in an Internet-based survey was seen as allowing those individuals with little or nor familiarity with the Internet to self-select out of the research. It was, therefore, expected that those individuals who participated in the survey have at least the minimum levels of familiarity with and skills
to use the Internet that are seen as precursors to PWU by Anandarajan, Simmers and Igbaria (2000). Consequently it is expected that the analysis of the responses given by
Research method
these participants will allow the drawing of valid conclusions as to why individuals differ in their PWU.
A further argument for the use of an Internet-based questionnaire, rather than paper-and-pencil questionnaires or interviews, was the convenience and flexibility it gives to participants. The flexibility of where and when to respond to the survey allowed
respondents to choose a time and location convenient for them rather than being limited as they would have been with telephone interviews, for example. In the past, studies have suggested that Internet surveys increasingly reach ‘busy people’ who systematically repel or ignore cold callers, but are willing to answer questions posted on their computer screen (Kellner, 2004). Admittedly, paper-and-pencil surveys can give the convenience of
choosing when to respond, as long as one does not misplace the survey paper (Duffy, Smith, Terhanian & Bremer, 2005). However, as argued above, the target population’s characteristics suggest that for those individuals the use of an online survey provided more convenience and familiarity than a paper-and-pencil survey might have.
The fourth and final reason for using an Internet-based questionnaire was the ease of administration an online questionnaire can provide. Once the initial work of developing and programming the survey website is completed, data collection and transfer to a statistical data analysis software program is relatively easy and automated. The ease of use reduces the chances of human error in coding, data input, and parts of data screening. Additionally, it is administratively easier to alert potential participants via email to an online survey, than it is to administer paper-and-pencil surveys all over the world in response to emailed invitations.
The length of the survey and the extended time it took for people to fully respond to it were expected to lead to a rather low level of interest and a low completion rate. Using emailed links to an Internet-based survey was the best way to reach a large number of desired, potential participants. As a result of using Internet-based technology the collected data set is reasonably complete, stems from a good sized sample, whose characteristics are in line with the research aim, and is seen as reasonably honest reflections of the respondents’ psychological and workplace attributes.
Research method
5.2 Participants – recruitment and characteristics