What term describes the difference between those who refuse to participate in a survey and those who do?

The term that captures the difference between individuals who choose to participate in a survey and those who do not is non-response bias. Non-response bias occurs when the individuals who do not participate differ in significant ways from those who do participate, potentially skewing the results of the survey. This can lead to misleading conclusions if the reasons for non-participation are related to the survey topic.

Non-response bias is critical to consider in survey methodology because it can impact the reliability and validity of the data collected. For instance, if a survey on health behaviors sees a low response rate from a certain demographic group, the results may not accurately reflect the health behaviors of the entire population.

The other terms, such as interviewer bias, recall bias, and selection bias, refer to different issues that can affect data collection and the interpretation of results. Interviewer bias relates to how the presence or behavior of the interviewer influences participant responses. Recall bias often occurs in retrospective studies when participants do not accurately remember past events. Selection bias refers to systematic differences in participant selection that can affect the outcomes observed in a study, but it does not specifically relate to those who refuse participation versus those who do.