2018 - 2023 | OZR
In human sciences, research heavily depends on the participation of respondents. A prerequisite for valid and reliable data is that respondents are randomly sampled such that the sample is representative of the targeted population.
This scientific predisposition is being jeopardized because of (a) dropping response rates, (b) shortening research cycles, and (c) shrinking research budgets. To overcome this problem, the use of online research panels - established for market-driven opinion research - for scientific research is
currently the next best thing to do. Yet their validity and reliability are questionable. In response, several countries managed to establish and maintain a probabilistic research panel. However, apart from being unavailable in Belgium, the existing panels hardly transcend opinion research and seldom focus on fundamental research in understanding, changing and predicting daily human behaviour. This discrepancy between what people say they do and what they actually do can be overcome using the MOTUS software platform which collects behavioural data alongside opinion data. The BE-HAVE research panel is an extension of the MOTUS software platform, as it facilitates the steady inflow of passive and active registered behavioural data into an open data warehouse, specifically designed to build up a panel, and interact and communicate with the individual panel members. This will make a significant difference in multidisciplinary research on daily human conduct.
