Willingness to participate in geolocation-based research

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Mobility Research
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• Smartphones offer advanced methods for collecting precise mobility data via geolocation (GPS) coordinates.
• Traditional surveys suffer from recall bias; real-time, in-the-moment surveys triggered by geolocation can mitigate this.
• Participant willingness is a critical factor limiting the use of geolocation and in-the-moment surveys.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess individuals' willingness to participate in research involving geolocation data and in-the-moment surveys.
• To investigate how participation conditions (duration, incentives) and personal characteristics influence willingness.
• To identify key motivators and barriers to participation in smartphone-based mobility research.

Main Methods:

• A conjoint experiment was conducted with 1,016 participants from an online panel in Spain.
• Participants' willingness to share geolocation data and engage in triggered surveys was evaluated.
• Analysis included the impact of offered conditions and participant demographics/behaviors.

Main Results:

• Asking participants to engage in in-the-moment surveys did not decrease willingness compared to only sharing geolocation data.
• Project duration and incentives significantly influenced participants' willingness to participate.
• Lower privacy concern, higher social media usage, app installation experience, and Google Maps usage correlated with increased willingness.

Conclusions:

• Participant willingness for smartphone-based mobility research is primarily driven by incentives, not privacy concerns.
• Careful consideration of project duration and incentives is crucial for maximizing participation.
• Individuals with greater digital engagement are more amenable to sharing mobility data and participating in real-time surveys.