THE CHOICE OF A SURVEY MODE IN COUNTRY IMAGE STUDIES

This study empirically examines how the choice of a survey mode affect s subjects' attribute ratings of products made in different countries, their attitudes toward products, and their intent to purchase product s. Three surveys were conducted that used different modes (personal, t elephone, and self-administered) with samples drawn from the same cons umer population. The study found significant interactions between the survey mode and products' country of origin. Specifically, the study e xamined six patterns of response variations across survey modes implie d by social desirability biases, demand artifacts, and haloing biases. The findings indicate that personal interviews may be susceptible to demand artifacts, and self-administered surveys may be vulnerable to h aloing biases. Although tentative, thefindings also suggest that socia l desirability biases may be more lihely to occur in telephone intervi ews than in other modes.