Marieke Haan

Reaching Hard-to-Survey Populations: Mode Choice and Mode Preference

Abstract This study assesses the effect of response-mode choices on response rates, and responsemode preferences of hard-to-survey populations: young adults, full-time workers, big city inhabitants, and non-Western immigrants. Using address-based sampling, a stratified sample of 3,496 households was selected. The first group of sample members was contacted face to face and could choose between a CAPI and web response mode. The second group, contacted by telephone, could choose between CATI and web. The third group, contacted by telephone, was randomly allocated to a response mode. Our address-based sampling technique was successful in reaching most of the hard-to-survey groups. Insufficient numbers of non- Western immigrants were reached; therefore this group was excluded from our analyses. In our mixed-effect models, no significant effects on the willingness to participate were found for mode choice. We found that full-time workers and young adults were significantly more likely to choose web over CAPI when contacted face to face.

Identifying Sustainable Population Segments Using a Multi-Domain Questionnaire: A Five Factor Sustainability Scale

This study presents the creation of a measurement device to determine and define sustainability attitudes into identifiable sustainability segments. These segments were profiled with behavioral and sociodemographic data. Based on previous literature, key sustainability topics were identified from which a 31-item questionnaire was developed, the Five Factor Sustainability Scale (FFSS). With the FFSS, multiple domains of environmental sustainability can be assessed. We present results validating this measure using a factor–cluster segmentation approach in a nationally representative sample (N = 508). Five sustainability factors emerged: (1) sustainable spending, (2) sustainable skepticism, (3) sustainable responsibility, (4) sustainable support, and (5) sustainable mobility. A cluster analysis on this sample yielded four segments in which people were grouped according to their sustainable attitudes: (1) Convinced Sustainers, (2) Sustainable Wannabes, (3) Sustainable Non-Believers, and (4) Non-Sustainers. Results linking these segments to behavioral and demographic data show discernable differences between the segments, making the FFSS a valuable tool for future intervention studies aiming at sustainable behavior change.