Mouse Chase Detecting Careless and Unmotivated Responders Using Cursor Movements in Web-Based Surveys

Web surveys offer new research possibilities, but they also have specific problems. One of them is a higher risk of careless, inattentive, or otherwise invalid responses. Using paradata, which are data collected apart from reactionary data, is one of the potential tools that can help to screen for problematic responses in web-based surveys. One of the most promising forms of paradata is the movement, or trajectory, of the cursor in making a response. This study constructed indicators of such data presented correlations between them and provided an interpretation and validation of these components by correlating them with previously known indices of careless responding. Finally, it tested cursor movement indices during different motivational states induced by experimental instructions. Cursor movement indices proved to be moderately related to classical careless responding indices but some of them (horizontal distance traveled as well speed and acceleration on vertical dimension) were as responsive to manipulation conditions as classical indices. The potential role of cursor movement indices in survey practice and future studies in this area are discussed.