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Genetic underpinnings of survey response

  1. Lori Foster Thompson1,*,
  2. Zhen Zhang2,
  3. Richard D. Arvey3

Article first published online: 7 JUN 2010

DOI: 10.1002/job.692

Issue

Journal of Organizational Behavior

Journal of Organizational Behavior

Volume 32, Issue 3, pages 395–412, April 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Thompson, L. F., Zhang, Z. and Arvey, R. D. (2011), Genetic underpinnings of survey response. J. Organiz. Behav., 32: 395–412. doi: 10.1002/job.692

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A.

  2. 2

    Department of Management, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, U.S.A.

  3. 3

    Department of Management and Organization, National University of Singapore, Singapore

*Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7650, Raleigh, NC 27695-7650, U.S.A.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 MAR 2011
  2. Article first published online: 7 JUN 2010
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 30 JAN 2010
  4. Manuscript Revised: 23 JAN 2010
  5. Manuscript Received: 24 OCT 2008

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Abstract

This study investigates the influence of genetic factors on survey response behavior. A pool of 558 male and 500 female twin pairs from the Minnesota Twin Registry (MTR) was asked to complete a paper-and-pencil survey of leadership activities. We used quantitative genetics techniques to estimate the genetic, shared environmental, and nonshared environmental effects on people's compliance with the request for survey participation. Results indicated that genetic influences explained 45% of the variance in survey response behavior for both women and men, with little shared environmental effects. Similar estimates were obtained after we partialled out potential confounds including twin closeness, age, and education. The results have important implications for response rates and nonresponse bias in survey-based research. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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