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ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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Mindset, Moment, and Measurement: Addressing Bias and Response Instability in Questionnaire-Based Social Science Research

Authors: Rupesh Ranjan;

Mindset, Moment, and Measurement: Addressing Bias and Response Instability in Questionnaire-Based Social Science Research

Abstract

Questionnaires are indispensable in social science research, yet they are vulnerable to the instability of human cognition and emotion. Respondents’ answers often depend on their transient mindset, emotional state, or situational context, which may not reflect their enduring beliefs or behaviours. This paper examines the problem of response bias arising from mindset-dependent answering and evaluates whether such biases undermine the validity of social science research. Drawing upon the works of Choi & Pak (2005), Bogner & Landrock (2016), and Bhattacherjee (2012), among others, it argues that while bias cannot be completely eradicated, it can be minimised through methodological rigour, triangulation, and reflexive interpretation. The study concludes that social sciences do not fail due to bias; rather, their strength lies in the reflexive awareness and transparent management of human variability in responses.

Keywords

Questionnaire bias, mindset effect, response bias, social desirability, temporal variation, survey validity, methodological rigour, social science research

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green