Forced Choice

Forced choice refers to a specific format for response options in survey questionnaires. In a forced choice format, respondents are not given a specific option to reflect a “nonresponse” type choice, such as “no opinion,” “don't know,” “not sure,” or “not applicable.” Respondents must select a response choice that provides a specific answer to the survey item.

The elimination of item “nonresponse” choices in the forced choice format increases the number of survey records with responses that are usable for analysis. Survey designers use the forced choice format to encourage respondents to provide an actual response. The forced choice format is common in key survey questions, especially qualifier (screener) questions. For example, question items about household income and number of household members might use forced choice response formats in a survey of households below the poverty level so as to make certain that everyone provides an answer to allow the researchers to determine whether a given respondent is eligible or ineligible for the survey.

Interviewer-administered surveys sometimes use a more flexible version of the forced choice format where the item nonresponse choices are available for the interviewer to see, and thus to code, but are not [Page 290]explicitly read to respondents. This approach allows respondents to give these types of responses but only if they take the initiative to volunteer one of them. At the other extreme, some surveys require a valid response and terminate or discard the interview rather than accept a nonapplicable response.

As an example, response choices on a satisfaction survey might include a response scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is very dissatisfied and 7 is very satisfied. With a forced choice format, there would be no response choice to indicate a lack of opinion (though a response choice of 4 would indicate a neutral opinion). Some surveys will use a forced choice format with an even number of responses, such as a scale of 1 to 6 with no true midpoint included among the response options, rather than 1 to 7 in which 4 is the midpoint. This forces respondents to provide a response with a clear direction.

Although useful for some survey items, the forced choice format has disadvantages. The primary disadvantage is that it can contribute to measurement errors, nonresponse errors, or both. Whereas the forced choice format can discourage respondent laziness and encourage them to provide a thoughtful response, the requirement of a response can encourage respondents to answer a question in a way that does not truly reflect what they think and feel. Some respondents really may not know how they feel about an issue or may not know the information requested, and forcing a response would result in the collection of erroneous data. Also, by “forcing” a response by not providing a respondent a valid response option that indicates that she or he does not have an opinion or does not care to provide an answer to a specific question, the researcher may be increasing the chances that some respondents will be frustrated and offended and thus terminate their participation before they complete the questionnaire.

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