Conclusions Regarding Cross-Group Differences in Happiness Depend on Difficulty of Reaching Respondents

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Heffetz, Ori; Rabin, Matthew
• 署名单位: Cornell University; University of California System; University of California Berkeley
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.103.7.3001
• 发表日期: 2013
• 页码: 3001-3021
• 关键词: SURVEY NONRESPONSE; IMPACT; BIAS

摘要

A growing literature explores differences in subjective well-being across demographic groups, often relying on surveys with high non-response rates. By using the reported number of call attempts made to participants in the University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers, we show that comparisons among easy-to-reach respondents differ from comparisons among hard-to-reach ones. Notably, easy-to-reach women are happier than easy-to-reach men, but hard-to-reach men are happier than hard-to-reach women, and conclusions of a survey could reverse with more attempted calls. Better alternatives to comparing group sample averages might include putting greater weight on hard-to-reach respondents or even extrapolating trends in responses.