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Measuring What Is Top of Mind

Author

Listed:
  • Ingar Haaland

    (NHH Norwegian School of Economics and FAIR)

  • Christopher Roth

    (University of Cologne and ECONtribute, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, CEPR)

  • Stefanie Stantcheva

    (Harvard University, NBER, CEPR)

  • Johannes Wohlfart

    (University of Cologne and ECONtribute, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, CEBI, CESifo)

Abstract
We survey the recent literature in economics measuring what is on top of people's minds using open-ended questions. We first provide an overview of studies in political economy, macroeconomics, finance, labor economics, and behavioral economics that have employed such measurement. We next describe different ways of measuring the considerations that are on top of people's minds. We also provide an overview of methods to annotate and analyze such data. Next, we discuss different types of applications, including the measurement of motives, mental models, narratives, attention, information transmission, and recall. Our review highlights the potential of using open-ended questions to gain a deeper understanding of mechanisms underlying observed choices and expectations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingar Haaland & Christopher Roth & Stefanie Stantcheva & Johannes Wohlfart, 2024. "Measuring What Is Top of Mind," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 298, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:298
    as

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    File URL: https://www.econtribute.de/RePEc/ajk/ajkdps/ECONtribute_298_2024.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    19. Leonardo Bursztyn & Benjamin R. Handel & Rafael Jimenez & Christopher Roth, 2023. "When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media," NBER Working Papers 31771, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Link, Sebastian & Peichl, Andreas & Roth, Christopher & Wohlfart, Johannes, 2023. "Attention to the Macroeconomy," CEPR Discussion Papers 18699, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Bocar A. Ba & Abdoulaye Ndiaye & Roman G. Rivera & Alexander Whitefield, 2024. "Mispricing Narratives after Social Unrest," CESifo Working Paper Series 11264, CESifo.
    3. Bocar A. Ba & Abdoulaye Ndiaye & Roman G. Rivera & Alexander Whitefield, 2024. "Mispricing Narratives after Social Unrest," Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute Working Papers 096, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    4. Thomas F. Crossley & Peter Levell & Sofía Sierra Vásquez, 2024. "What would you do with £500? (...in your own words)," IFS Working Papers W24/38, Institute for Fiscal Studies.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Thoughts; Open-ended Questions; Text Data; Methodology; Surveys; Qualitative Research;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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