The Use and Usefulness of Attention Checks in Behavioral Research.
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| Title: | The Use and Usefulness of Attention Checks in Behavioral Research. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Perfecto, Hannah (AUTHOR), O'Donnell, Michael (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Consumer Research. Jun2026, Vol. 53 Issue 1, p182-200. 19p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Attention, *Consumer surveys, *Behavioral research, *Surveys, *Decision making, *Memory, *Comprehension |
| Abstract: | Attention checks have been touted as a means of excluding inattentive and careless responses from survey data. As a result, numerous approaches have been proposed, but relatively little attention has been paid to which ones are most helpful. The present article demonstrates that this blind spot has obscured vast differences in attention check efficacy. An initial survey of consumer-behavior and decision-making researchers revealed six commonly used attention check approaches (memory checks, questions with obvious answers, English comprehension, self-reported attentiveness, straight-lining, and variations on the instructional manipulation check). These were then paired with six effects, drawn from the Many Labs series of papers in social psychology (N > 22,000, all preregistered). The different checks varied substantially in reducing noise and increasing effect size. Follow-up studies suggest that participant attentiveness, as currently measured, may reflect a given participant's general approach to completing studies, rather than momentary fatigue or boredom varying across time or within studies. We recommend that behavioral researchers focus their efforts on going beyond mere "pulse-checkers" and consider favoring the use of memory checks and obvious questions as attention checks in their research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
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| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 193756922 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Use and Usefulness of Attention Checks in Behavioral Research. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Perfecto%2C+Hannah%22">Perfecto, Hannah</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22O'Donnell%2C+Michael%22">O'Donnell, Michael</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Consumer+Research%22">Journal of Consumer Research</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 53 Issue 1, p182-200. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Consumer+surveys%22">Consumer surveys</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavioral+research%22">Behavioral research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surveys%22">Surveys</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+making%22">Decision making</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comprehension%22">Comprehension</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Attention checks have been touted as a means of excluding inattentive and careless responses from survey data. As a result, numerous approaches have been proposed, but relatively little attention has been paid to which ones are most helpful. The present article demonstrates that this blind spot has obscured vast differences in attention check efficacy. An initial survey of consumer-behavior and decision-making researchers revealed six commonly used attention check approaches (memory checks, questions with obvious answers, English comprehension, self-reported attentiveness, straight-lining, and variations on the instructional manipulation check). These were then paired with six effects, drawn from the Many Labs series of papers in social psychology (N > 22,000, all preregistered). The different checks varied substantially in reducing noise and increasing effect size. Follow-up studies suggest that participant attentiveness, as currently measured, may reflect a given participant's general approach to completing studies, rather than momentary fatigue or boredom varying across time or within studies. We recommend that behavioral researchers focus their efforts on going beyond mere "pulse-checkers" and consider favoring the use of memory checks and obvious questions as attention checks in their research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=193756922 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1093/jcr/ucaf058 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 182 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Attention Type: general – SubjectFull: Consumer surveys Type: general – SubjectFull: Behavioral research Type: general – SubjectFull: Surveys Type: general – SubjectFull: Decision making Type: general – SubjectFull: Memory Type: general – SubjectFull: Comprehension Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Use and Usefulness of Attention Checks in Behavioral Research. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Perfecto, Hannah – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: O'Donnell, Michael IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00935301 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 53 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Consumer Research Type: main |
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