Das Problem gedächtnisbezogener Variabilität von Antworten: Eye-Tracking als Möglichkeit zur Abschätzung von (In-) Stabilität bei der Antwortvergabe?

One complex issue analyzed within survey methodology is the temporal stability of responses. The findings on this topic are widely scattered and vary greatly. The aim of this article is to capture both memory-oriented endogenous and situational exogenous influences that can affect response stability in one-time surveys using a stability index that is yet to be developed. In particular, eye-tracking data should provide indirect indications of the temporality (stability/instability) of the responses. The data show that optimizers and satisficers not only have different working styles when answering questionnaires, but also differ in the number of fixations and repetitions when reading the questions and answer options, which allows conclusions to be drawn about certainty and uncertainty in response decisions. A digression on stimulus systems (retrieval and cue stimuli) that can support the retrieval of information from memory and increase response certainty is intended to point the way to possible solutions.