Multimode address sampling raises response

Pew’s shift to address‑based, multimode surveys (paper, online, optional phone) produced substantially higher response rates (~28–30%) than many contemporary polls that rely on low‑response online panels. This methodological configuration matters for trend estimates because mode and frame changes (RDD phone in older waves vs. address‑based multimode now) can alter who responds and therefore alter measured change over time. — If major trend claims (for example, that religion is 'stable') rest on surveys with different frames and modes across waves, public debates about social change can be misled unless these methodological shifts are foregrounded.