THAT AWKWARD QUESTION — HOW TO PUT IT

Abstract

Auditors frequently ask questions that are regarded as awkward or inconvenient by those who are expected to answer them. The psychologist's distinction between personality and item characteristic is explained. Questions that are socially desirable and those that are socially undesirable are discussed. To maximise undistorted response, the classic question ‘“Did you kill your wife?” is used. Ten possible approaches to reducing bias, with which the auditor may wish to experiment, are then considered.

Citation

Vinten, G. (1988), "THAT AWKWARD QUESTION — HOW TO PUT IT", Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 7-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb002798