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Should we trust web-based studies? A comparative analysis of six preconceptions about internet questionnaires
Samuel D Gosling1, Simine Vazire, Sanjay Srivastava
1Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. gosling@psy.utexas.edu
The American Psychologist
|March 3, 2004
Summary
Online research methods using internet data collection are effective for psychological studies. Large internet samples are diverse and yield findings consistent with traditional methods, supporting their use in psychology.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Internet Research Methods
- Data Collection
Background:
- The internet offers new avenues for psychological research.
- Evaluating internet data collection methods against traditional approaches is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the validity and generalizability of internet-based data collection in psychology.
- To compare internet samples with traditional samples regarding diversity and data quality.
Main Methods:
- A large-scale internet sample (N = 361,703) was compared with 510 published traditional samples.
- Six common assumptions about internet samples and data quality were examined.
Main Results:
- Internet samples demonstrated diversity across gender, socioeconomic status, region, and age.
- Findings from internet data generalized across formats and were robust to non-serious responders.
- Internet-based results were consistent with traditional research findings.
Conclusions:
- Internet data collection methods are a viable and effective tool for psychological research.
- The diversity and reliability of internet samples support their widespread application in the field.