Radio Buttons

A radio button is a type of survey response format used in electronic questionnaire media such as Web surveys, email surveys, personal digital assistant (PDA) applications, and other electronic documents. The radio button response format allows respondents to select one, and only one, of a set of two or more mutually exclusive response options. Respondents select the response option of interest by using a mouse pointer, keyboard key, or touch-screen stylus. The term radio button is a reference to the punch-in buttons invented years ago on radios to choose a preset station, such as in an automobile; as each new button is pressed, the previously pressed button is returned to the neutral position.

Radio buttons are often displayed as a series of open circles with a value or value label shown next to each button. They can be listed vertically, horizontally, or in a grid or matrix. Other electronic response formats include (a) drop-down boxes for longer lists of options, (b) check boxes for check-all-that-apply questions, and (c) text input fields for open-ended responses. Radio buttons, like other on-screen electronic response formats, require the respondent to exercise care when selecting the option of interest, making the format susceptible to careless respondent error. This is particularly true for respondents with less extensive computer experience.

Although drop-down boxes require less screen space than do radio buttons, the latter more closely resemble the format used in paper-based questionnaires. Additionally, while all radio button options are immediately visible to the respondent, drop-down boxes require a series of actions by the respondent to open the dropdown list, scroll through the full set of options, and select a response. This difference can result in greater respondent burden, increased cognitive difficulty for the respondent, and response distribution differences due to primacy effects.