Who is asking? The effect of survey sponsor misperception on political trust: evidence from the Afrobarometer

Abstract

Based on previous research on political trust on the one hand and the effects of perceived survey sponsors on political attitudes on the other, this paper sets out to explore the effects of misperceiving the survey sponsor on political trust among citizens. The article explores the significance of the effect of survey sponsor misperception among factors that are traditionally used to explains political trust. Using Afrobarometer data, which includes thirty-six democratic and autocratic countries and more than fifty-thousand respondents, the paper demonstrates that such an effect is significant and substantive. Hence, researchers should definitely take survey sponsor misperception into account when designing and analyzing surveys. In conclusion, the article provides an outlook on what this means for future survey research.