The questionnaire and interviewer training are the main ways 

 of controlling response error. On this study, it is considered 

 that the questionnaire, field training, and supervision were 

 such that response error was held to a minimum considering 

 the nature of the data being collected. 



The cause of response errors may be one or a combination of 

 the two following factors: 



1. Personal psychological motivations 



2. Definition problems 



The first factor may cause a respondent to give superficial 

 estimates or reasons due to embarrassment when he lacks 

 knowledge about a subject of v,diich he feels he should be aware, 



Examples of such responses on this study are listed below: 



1. Statements that all frozen processed sea 

 food is Government inspected. 



2. Placing type of fish in wrong categories 

 (i.e., codfish cakes under Portion Con- 

 trolled Sea Food). 



3. "Top of the head" estimates as to package 

 sizes, number of servings per package, 

 and refrigeration capacities. 



Other psychological motivations such as disinterest, dislike, 

 laziness, and other similar feelings result in superficial 

 answers in that the respondent feels that his estinnate is as 

 accurate as the records and thus eliminates the laborious task 

 of looking up the necessary data. In addition, various person- 

 ality quirks affect the respondents attitude as to the type of 

 establishment which he operates. 



Definition problems may cause a respondent to react as des- 

 cribed above, or he may unconsciously give incomplete or 



17 



