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Chapman Survey of American Fears, Wave 5 (2018)

DOI

10.17605/OSF.IO/P9C58

Citation

Bader, C., Day, L. E., & Gordon, A. (2020, March 3). Chapman Survey of American Fears, Wave 5 (2018).

Summary

Collected in 2018, the Chapman Survey of American Fears, Wave 5 (CSAF) is an annual survey. The survey includes core demographic items, and measures of religion and politics. However the survey's primary focus is asking questions designed to determine the extent to which Americans fear or worry about life events, governmental policy, crime and victimization, natural and man-made disasters, different spaces and other phenomena.

The ARDA has added six additional variables to the original data set to enhance the users' experience on our site.

Data File

Cases: 1190
Variables: 230
Weight Variable: WEIGHT

This study, using sample selected from the SSRS Probability Panel, was weighted to provide nationally representative and projectable estimates of the adult population 18 years of age and older. The weighting process takes into account the recruitment of panelists through the SSRS Omnibus, thus the disproportionate probabilities of household and respondent selection due to the number of separate telephone landlines and cellphones answered by Omnibus respondents and their households, as well as the probability associated with the random selection of an individual household member. In addition, a propensity score for joining the SSRS Probability Panel is applied for all respondents of SSRS Omnibus and used as a base-weight for those panelists that complete the survey. Following application of the above weights, the sample was post-stratified and balanced by key demographics such as age, race, sex, region, and education. The sample was also weighted to reflect the distribution of phone usage in the general population, meaning the proportion of those who are cell phone only, landline only, and mixed users.

Data Collection

2018

Original Survey (Instrument)

The Chapman University Survey on American Fears

Funded By

The Earl Babbie Research Center at Chapman University and the John Templeton Foundation

Collection Procedures

All sample members drawn for the CSAF were adult, English-language panelists. Sample drawn for the CSAF was stratified by education due to greater non-response by panelists with lower education.

Surveys conducted using the SSRS Probability Panel are self-administered web surveys. In appreciation for their participation, panelists receive a modest incentive for participation (in the form of an electronic Amazon gift card or cash sent via postal mail according to respondent preference). Depending on the field period, reminder emails are sent to panelists who do not complete the survey after being sent the initial invitation.

A "soft launch" inviting a limited number of panelists to participate was conducted. After checking soft launch data to ensure that all questionnaire content and skip patterns were correct. Additional sample was released to ensure the final sample was representative.

Panelists were emailed an invitation to complete the CSAF survey online. The email for each respondent included a unique passcode-embedded link. In appreciation for their participation, panelists received a $7 incentive (in the form of an electronic Amazon gift card or a cash sent via postal mail depending upon respondent preference). Panelists not responding to their first invitation received a reminder email three days after the initial invitation. Two additional rounds of reminders were then sent every two days to those who had not yet completed the survey. A total of three reminders were sent to all non-responders, as well as to any panelists who started, but did not complete, the survey.

As a standard of practice for Probability Panel surveys, several quality checks were incorporated into the survey. For CSAF, these included asking respondents to select a specific response when viewing a list of items, as well as re-asking the same factual type question later in the survey. Respondents who failed the quality checks employed were not included in the final data set.

Sampling Procedures

This survey was conducted using the SSRS Probability Panel. SSRS Panel members are recruited randomly from a dual-frame random digit dial (RDD) sample, through the SSRS Omnibus Survey. The SSRS Omnibus survey is a national (50-state), bilingual telephone survey designed to meet standards of quality associated with custom research studies. The SSRS Omnibus runs six waves each month. Each wave consists of 1,000 interviews, of which 600 are obtained with respondents on their cell phones, and approximately 35 interviews completed in Spanish.

This recruiting design relies on an existing, high-quality survey platform resulting in an affordable probabilistically sourced panel. Respondents of the SSRS Omnibus represent the full U.S. adult population (English and Spanish speaking). From this base, SSRS screens for Internet access and then recruits those who have access to be part of the SSRS Probability Panel.

From each SSRS Omnibus wave of about 1,000 respondents, approximately 85 percent are identified as having Internet access and are invited to participate in the Panel. Of these, approximately 45 percent agree to participate and provide their email address. These numbers vary slightly from wave to wave. Non-internet sample can be interviewed via telephone, if requested.

SSRS panelists are asked to complete one to two surveys per month.

Principal Investigators

The CSAF, Wave 5 was collected with the help of a multi-disciplinary team of faculty and students. The three Principal Investigators are:

Dr. Christopher Bader, Professor of Sociology, Chapman University
Dr. L. Edward Day, Associate Professor of Sociology, Chapman University
Dr. Ann Gordon, Associate Professor of Political Science, Chapman University

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