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Alexander Wenz

Research Fellow

University of Mannheim

Welcome to my website.

I am a Research Fellow in Survey Methodology at the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES) at the University of Mannheim. I also serve as Vice President of the European Survey Research Association (ESRA) in 2023-2027.

My research focuses on the quality of digital methods of data collection. I am particularly interested in identifying and reducing representation and measurement errors in web surveys, smartphone apps and wearable sensors, digital behavioral data, and online panels. I am PI of the project Acceptance of Smartphone Technologies for Social Science Data Collection funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung (2023-2026).

At the MZES, I work in the Data and Methods Unit where I offer methods consulting on all aspects of survey design, data collection, and analysis to planned and funded projects at the institute. I also co-organize the Mannheim Research Colloquium on Survey Methods and the MZES Social Science Data Lab.

Please reach out via email if you want to know more or are interested in collaborating.

Education

  • Ph.D. Survey Methodology, 2018

    University of Essex

  • B.A. Politics and Public Administration, 2014

    University of Konstanz

Selected Publications

See CV for complete list of publications

Wenz, A., Jäckle, A., Burton, J., Couper, M. P., & Read, B. (2025). Quality of expenditure data collected with a mobile receipt scanning app in a probability household panel. Survey Research Methods, 19(2), 105-122.

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Wenz, A., Keusch, F., & Bach, R. L. (2024). Measuring smartphone use: Survey versus digital behavioral data. Social Science Computer Review, 1-20.

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Wenz, A., & Keusch, F. (2023). Increasing the acceptance of smartphone-based data collection. Public Opinion Quarterly, 87(2), 357-388.

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Wenz, A., & Keusch, F. (2023). The second-level smartphone divide: A typology of smartphone use based on frequency of use, skills, and types of activities. Mobile Media & Communication, 11(3), 459-483.

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Wenz, A., Jäckle, A., Burton, J., & Couper, M. P. (2022). The effects of personalized feedback on participation and reporting in mobile app data collection. Social Science Computer Review, 40(1), 165-178.

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Keusch, F., Wenz, A., & Conrad, F. G. (2022). Do you have your smartphone with you? Behavioral barriers for measuring everyday activities with smartphone sensors. Computers in Human Behavior, 127, 107054.

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Wenz, A. (2021). Do distractions during web survey completion affect data quality? Findings from a laboratory experiment. Social Science Computer Review, 39(1), 148-161.

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Wenz, A., Al Baghal, T., & Gaia, A. (2021). Language proficiency among respondents: Implications for data quality in a longitudinal face-to-face survey. Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, 9(1), 73-93.

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Cornesse, C., Blom, A. G., Dutwin, D., Krosnick, J. A., de Leeuw, E. D., …, & Wenz, A. (2020). A review of conceptual approaches and empirical evidence on probability and nonprobability sample survey research. Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, 8(1), 4-36.

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Wenz, A., Jäckle, A., & Couper, M. P. (2019). Willingness to use mobile technologies for data collection in a probability household panel. Survey Research Methods, 13(1), 1-22.

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Projects

Acceptance of Smartphone Technologies for Social Science Data Collection

Funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, 2023-2026

The rising spread of smartphones in the general population offers empirical social research new opportunities for collecting data about attitudes and behaviours. Smartphones allow administering surveys and, at the same time, collecting detailed behavioural data through the smartphone’s built-in sensors. However, a major challenge of smartphone-based data collection is the low willingness of the population to participate. Selective participation by certain subgroups of the population can lead to biased results.
This project aims to develop and test a theoretical framework of the social acceptance of smartphones as a data collection tool in empirical social research. The aim is to improve the representativeness of smartphone-based studies. The main questions are which social psychological factors explain the willingness to participate and which measures can be used to increase this willingness. The theoretical framework will be developed based on a systematic review of technology acceptance theories as well as qualitative in-depth interviews with smartphone users and tested as part of a smartphone data collection.

Recent Talks

Using a Qualitative Approach to Better Understand Why People Are (Un)willing to Participate in Smartphone App Data Collection
11th ESRA Conference, Utrecht, The Netherlands
July 14-18, 2025

Contact

  • a.wenz (at) uni-mannheim.de
  • +49 (621) 181-2019
  • University of Mannheim
    Mannheim Centre for European Social Research
    A5, 6 | Room A 244
    68131 Mannheim, Germany