Group think or effective data collection? Conducting survey research with children

Marketers are interested in the knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behaviours of today’s young consumers. This paper explores the nature of child-oriented survey research by means of an unstructured observational study. A total of 376 children between the ages of seven and twelve participated in a study which examined consumer knowledge and behaviour. Participant’s behaviour was observed during the questionnaire administration process with four primary issues being noted: group management, peer interaction, the ability to maintain interest and a desire to alter responses. It is suggested that researchers should limit the number of children completing a survey at one time, limit the number of items contained in the questionnaire and collect questionnaires soon after completion.