Personalizing E-mail Contacts: Its Influence on Web Survey Response Rate and Social Desirability Response Bias

improves response to web surveys, but concerns have been raised and subtle indications have been found suggesting that personalization might result in more socially desirable responses (Heerwegh et al., ; Heerwegh, ; Joinson, Woodley, & Reips, ). The current study provides a stronger test of the hypothesis that personalization would induce social desirability bias, and secondarily provides an additional test of the effect of personalization on web survey response rates. The study relies on a larger number of survey questions potentially under the influence of social desirability bias than previous research. Moreover, to circumvent some problems encountered in previous research with identifying the socially desirable responses, the current study includes a mixed mode experiment. EFFECT OF PERSONALIZATION ON RESPONSE BEHAVIOR Apart from a positive effect on the web survey response rate, personalization might influence the obtained data. By personalizing invitations, one attempts to relate to a sample unit in a more direct and personal way. This also implies that the (perceived)