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An Experiment in Contingent Valuation and Social Desirability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Andrew S. Laughland ,
Wesley N. Musser  and
Lynn M. Musser
Andrew S. Laughland
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University
Wesley N. Musser
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University
Lynn M. Musser
Affiliation:
Department of Child Development and Family Studies, Purdue University
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Abstract

Social desirability (SD) represents the problem of subjects responding with social norms rather than individual values. This paper briefly surveys the SD literature and considers its relevance for contingent valuation (CV) studies. In an empirical study, undergraduate students were administered the Mariowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, as well as CV questions. High SD scores were hypothesized to imply a greater likelihood of offering a protest reason for a zero bid and to increase bids for socially desirable commodities. While all hypotheses were not supported, the empirical results suggest that SD can influence CV responses and should not be dismissed prematurely.

Type
Articles
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , April 1994 , pp. 29 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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