The Accuracy of Self-Reported Internet Use-A Validation Study Using Client Log Data
The Accuracy of Self-Reported Internet Use-A Validation Study Using Client Log Data
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DOI：
10.1080/19312458.2015.1118446
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发表时间：
2016-01-01
影响因子：
11.4
通讯作者：
Scharkow, Michael
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Scharkow, Michael
绝大多数关于在线交流或一般媒体使用的实证研究都依赖于自我报告措施，而不是行为数据。先前的研究表明，这些自我报告的准确性可能相当低，媒体使用的过度和低估都很常见。本研究比较了互联网使用的自我报告与客户端日志文件从一个大的家庭样本。结果表明，自我报告的频率和持续时间的互联网使用的准确性是相当低的，调查数据只有适度相关的日志文件数据。此外，存在系统性的误报模式，特别是多报，而不是随机偏离日志文件。对于特定内容（如社交网站或视频平台）的自我报告似乎比一般互联网使用频率或持续时间的自我报告更准确，也更不一致。文章最后展示了有偏见的自我报告的后果，并讨论了可能的解决方案。
The vast majority of empirical research on online communication, or media use in general, relies on self-report measures instead of behavioral data. Previous research has shown that the accuracy of these self-report measures can be quite low, and both over-and underreporting of media use are commonplace. This study compares self-reports of Internet use with client log files from a large household sample. Results show that the accuracy of self-reported frequency and duration of Internet use is quite low, and that survey data are only moderately correlated with log file data. Moreover, there are systematic patterns of misreporting, especially overreporting, rather than random deviations from the log files. Self-reports for specific content such as social network sites or video platforms seem to be more accurate and less consistently biased than self-reports of generic frequency or duration of Internet use. The article closes by demonstrating the consequences of biased self-reports and discussing possible solutions to the problem.