Clicking Culture: How Google Outsmarts Attitudinal Surveys
Can new technology reveal what's really going on in Saudi Arabia??
Imagine you’re a researcher who’s struck gold with a generous grant. Funds are flowing, and all methods are at your disposal. What data would you use to track cultural change?
Nationally representative attitudinal surveys are certainly valuable, and I regularly rely on evidence from the World Values Survey, Gallup, Pew, and Arab Barometer. But let me present 5 reasons for caution:
Declining response rates
Social desirability bias
Answers varying depending on the interviewer
Responses shifting if overheard
Suppression of stigmatised topics
Collectively, these factors present a high risk of error. What’s the alternative? How can we get real-time, accurate insights into people’s genuine preferences.
What data would help us track what US voters really think, or Saudi Arabia’s cultural liberalisation?