67th Annual Conference Evaluating New Frontiers in Public Opinion and Social Research Conference Program May 17–20, 2012 JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes • Orlando, Florida www.aapor.org AAPOR 12 FP.indd 1 5/2/12 11:24 AM Thursday, May 17, 2012 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sesson A New Frontiers: Interactive and Gaming Techniques to Improve Surveys Interactive and Gaming Techniques to Improve Surveys Elizabeth Dean, RTI International (
[email protected]); Adam Sage, RTI International (
[email protected]); Jennie W. Lai, Nielsen (
[email protected]); Michael Link, Nielsen (
[email protected]); Ashley Richards, RTI International (
[email protected]); Lorelle Vanno, Nielsen (
[email protected]); Jeffrey Henning, Affinova, Inc. (
[email protected]) The mobile, digitally networked era has expanded communication tools and styles. Technological augmentation of social networks enables screening calls, blocking contacts, and avoiding face to face interaction. These technologies also facilitate active and passive sharing of massive amounts of personal information while building virtual communities to meet real social needs. Online communication styles signify the arrival of a model for surveying very different from the two-way “conversation with a purpose.” One norm of online communication is interactivity. Facebook’s model of status updates, user comments, “likes,” and live feeds of social conversation can now be considered a norm for online communication. A second norm of online communication is the game. People compete in online games to earn rewards, status, and achievement but also to express themselves, build community, and experience altruism. “Gamification” makes routine experiences more engaging by providing points, badges and status for behaviors like checking in to venues (Foursquare) and buying coffee (My Starbucks Rewards).