Are Survey Respondents Honest?

Graham Giller
Nov 6 · 3 min read

A question I’m frequently asked about consumer opinion research addresses whether we should “trust” the answers generated. We are all likely familiar with the quote: “lies, damned lies, and statistics” — popularized by Mark Twain and (apparently erroneously) attributed to Benjamin Disraeli.

Cross-tabulation from a Private Survey of the Employment Situation

The above chart breaks down the answers given by respondents to the question “For what kind of organization do you work…

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Graham Giller

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Predicting important variables about companies and the economy, I turn data into information. CEO of Giller Investments.

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