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Whom to ask? Testing respondent effects in household surveys

Author

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  • Fiala, Nathan
  • Masselus, Lise
Abstract
The common practice in household questionnaires of surveying the most knowledgeable household member can lead to inaccurate data if they have limited information. Using survey experiments in Paraguay and Uganda, we investigate whether there are discrepancies in intra-household reporting on income and consumption when multiple household members are interviewed. We use data from 4,100 households where we randomly vary whether the survey is administered to one spouse only, both spouses together or both spouses separately. We do not find meaningful systematic differences in the mean or distribution of household income and consumption and conclude that the magnitude of respondent effects for these variables is unlikely to bias most empirical analyses. However, a within-household analysis reveals large, but mostly unsystematic, reporting discrepancies. Taken together, the results indicate that respondent selection may matter for obtaining accurate information for a given household, but not for aggregate analysis of households.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiala, Nathan & Masselus, Lise, 2022. "Whom to ask? Testing respondent effects in household surveys," Ruhr Economic Papers 935, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:rwirep:935
    DOI: 10.4419/96973095
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fiala, Nathan & Rose, Julian & Aryemo, Filder & Peters, Jörg, 2022. "The (very) long-run impacts of cash grants during a crisis," Ruhr Economic Papers 961, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Survey methods; respondent effects; proxy reporting; intra-household economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • C8 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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