gistfile1.txt

class Response < ActiveRecord::Base
  serialize :answers
end

# rails c

irb(main):022:0> [{"answers" => {"foo" => "bar"}}].map {|response| Response.new(response)}
=> [#<Response id: nil, answers: {"foo"=>"bar"}, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, questionnaire_id: nil>]

Hooray!

# responses_controller.rb

workingResponses = [{"answers" => {"foo" => "bar"}}].map {|resp| Response.new{resp}}
logger.debug(workingResponses)

# logger output:
[#<Response id: nil, answers: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil, questionnaire_id: nil>]