Are consumer survey results distorted? Systematic impact of behavioral frequency and duration on survey response

Using a large-scale consumer database created by AT&T, the authors investig ate how actual behavioral frequency and duration systematically affect the direction of errors in consumer survey responses, By analyzing errors in co nsumers' reports on their frequency of using long-distance telephone calls, letters, cards, and visits for personal communication, the authors demonst rate that high-frequency groups underreported their behavioral frequencies, whereas low-frequency groups overreported them. Similarly, the results sho w that consumers underestimate the duration of lengthy telephone conversati ons, whereas they overestimate the duration of short ones, Overall, the aut hors find that people tend to overestimate both frequency and duration. The se compressive regressive effects toward the mean and overall upward bias f or both frequency and duration estimations result in a distorted view of th e market, which will be incorrectly perceived to be more homogeneous and la rger than it really is.