Using contingent valuation data to simulate referendums
Does the way a question is asked affect the answer given? This thesis looks at this question from two perspectives. <p>First, using contingent valuation data for water quality in the Monongahela River in Western Pennsylvania, an analysis is performed to test for differences in responses across...
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| Format: | Others |
| Language: | en |
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Virginia Tech
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10919/41806 http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-03302010-020112/ |
| Summary: | Does the way a question is asked affect the answer given? This thesis looks at
this question from two perspectives.
<p>First, using contingent valuation data for water quality in the Monongahela
River in Western Pennsylvania, an analysis is performed to test for differences in
responses across four different formats of the willingness-to-pay question. This
analysis shows that the question format has some systematic relationship with the
valuation responses given. Specifically, iterative bidding games with high starting
points lead to higher willingness-to-pay values than other formats. This result appears
to arise from information relayed to the respondent from the question format. That
is, since the bidding begins at a high value the respondent interprets that information
as a cue to what the value of the commodity should be.
<p>The four different question formats are then re-interpreted in a referendum
context. Referendum campaigns can be characterized by the amount of information
provided to the voters and the degree of focus of that information. For example,
some referendum campaigns give the voters a great deal of data, and that data all
gives a consistent message. Other campaigns provide very little information for the
voters to use in their decision. By transforming the willingness-to-pay data into a
discrete-choice format, referendum models are simulated. Then, an analysis shows
how the characteristics of the information content affect the vote. Also, the value of
the median voter is calculated. This median shows the value at which the referendum
just passes. This analysis shows that the campaign associated with the high starting
point bidding game yields that highest percentage of yes votes and the highest median voter value. === Master of Arts |
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