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Is anonymity important in AIDS survey research?
M J Zagumny1, R J Ramsey, M P Upchurch
1Department of Psychology, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville 38505, USA.
Psychological Reports
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Social desirability does not appear to influence college students' survey responses about HIV behaviors. Anonymity is also not a limiting factor for these results.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Public Health Research
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Accurate data on sensitive health behaviors, such as those related to HIV, is crucial for effective public health interventions.
- Previous research suggests that social desirability bias and concerns about anonymity may limit the validity of self-reported data on sensitive topics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of social desirability on survey responses concerning HIV-related behaviors among college students.
- To determine if anonymity is a necessary condition for obtaining reliable data on these behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with college undergraduates.
- Participants completed survey items assessing HIV-related behaviors.
- Social desirability and anonymity conditions were manipulated or assessed.
Main Results:
- Findings indicated that social desirability did not significantly affect responses to survey items on HIV-related behaviors.
- Results suggest that the validity of responses was not constrained by the lack of anonymity.
Conclusions:
- Social desirability bias may not be a significant concern when surveying college students about HIV-related behaviors.
- Anonymity may not be essential for obtaining accurate self-reported data in this population and context.