Check out the newly published “Understanding Survey Methodology: Sociological Theory and Applications” for results from a new UWSC study. The study examines how Black and White respondents answer questions about trust in medical researchers and participation in medical research.
Findings indicate White respondents display more interactional behaviors and patterns indicating comprehension and mapping difficulties than do Black respondents for trust questions focused on race. These differences may be due to how awareness of the concept of trust in medical researchers varies across groups: White respondents are less familiar with the concept of (dis)trust in medical researchers compared to racial/ethnic minority groups who are more likely to have been exposed to such considerations both personally and during interactions with members of their communities. Lack of general familiarity and personal experiences may increase cognitive processing difficulties when questions focus on race for White respondents.