The Role of Trust in Affecting Potential Respondents to Participate in Web-Based Surveys

To strive to uncover the trust role in the Web-based survey, this paper developed a theoretical model linking the constructs of trust, attitude towards the Web-based survey and the intention to participate in Web-based survey from the participants´ perspective. We empirically tested the research model with a sample 292 participants and structural equation modeling (partial least squares) analysis reveals that: 1. potential respondents´ propensity to trust have significant influence on their trust in Web (institution-based trust) and in investigator of Web survey (interpersonal-based trust). 2. besides the attitude towards the web survey, potential respondents´ trust in Web and in the investigator of the Web survey significantly affects their intention to participate in Web-based surveys. 3. trust in investigator affects potential respondents´ attitude towards the Web-based survey significantly, however, the correlation between trust in Web and attitude is insignificant.