Eivastaajien

Eivastaajien is the Finnish term used to denote non-respondents in survey research. It is formed from ei (not) and vastaaja (respondent) with the possessive suffix -en, and is used to refer to "of non-respondents." In survey methodology, eivastaajien are individuals who were selected for inclusion but did not provide usable responses, either by not responding at all or by providing unusable data. Their absence can lead to nonresponse bias if respondents differ systematically from non-respondents.

Common reasons for nonresponse include time constraints, lack of interest, accessibility barriers, language issues, or privacy concerns. Nonresponse can be influenced by survey mode, length, topic sensitivity, and incentives. Researchers study eivastaajien characteristics to assess potential bias and to improve response rates.

Strategies to reduce eivastaajien nonresponse include multiple contact attempts, mixed-mode surveys (online, mail, phone), shortened questionnaires, pre-notification, reminders, incentives, and targeted follow-ups. When nonresponse occurs, analysts may apply weighting adjustments, post-stratification, or imputation techniques to mitigate bias, though these methods rely on assumptions about the missing data.

In practice, the study of eivastaajien is a core component of survey methodology and statistical inference, informing design choices and the interpretation of results in social science, market research, and public opinion polling.