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Same-sex sexual behaviour: US frequency estimates from survey data with simultaneous misreporting and non-response

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  • Nathan Berg
  • Donald Lien

Abstract

Survey-based research concerning sexual behaviour almost inevitably confronts the simultaneous problems of misreporting and non-response. These problems lead to disparities among estimates of the number and characteristics of those who engage in same-sex sexual behaviour. This paper proposes a statistical model to consistently estimate the frequency of same-sex sexual behaviour in the presence of non-ignorable misreporting and non-response. The model is fitted using 1991-2000 General Social Survey data. Frequency estimates corrected for simultaneous misreporting and non-response are reported. According to the model, 7.1% of US males and 4.1% of females - 15.8 million individuals - are not exclusively heterosexual. Allowing for misreporting and non-response increases the estimated same-sex frequency by more than four million. The model reveals new patterns between misreporting and non-response probabilities and standard demographic variables such as age and income.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathan Berg & Donald Lien, 2006. "Same-sex sexual behaviour: US frequency estimates from survey data with simultaneous misreporting and non-response," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(7), pages 757-769.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:38:y:2006:i:7:p:757-769
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840500427114
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    1. Badgett, M.V. Lee, 2001. "Money, Myths, and Change," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226034003, April.
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    1. Nathan Berg & Donald Lien, 2009. "Sexual orientation and self-reported lying," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 83-104, March.
    2. Brendan Cushing‐Daniels & Tsz‐Ying Yeung, 2009. "Wage Penalties And Sexual Orientation: An Update Using The General Social Survey," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 27(2), pages 164-175, April.
    3. Mary Eschelbach Hansen & Michael E. Martell, 2014. "Self-Identified Sexual Orientation and the Lesbian Earnings Differential," Working Papers 2014-13, American University, Department of Economics.
    4. Katherine B. Coffman & Lucas C. Coffman & Keith M. Marzilli Ericson, 2017. "The Size of the LGBT Population and the Magnitude of Antigay Sentiment Are Substantially Underestimated," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(10), pages 3168-3186, October.
    5. Greene, William & Harris, Mark N. & Knott, Rachel & Rice, Nigel, 2023. "Reporting heterogeneity in modeling self-assessed survey outcomes," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    6. Sarah Brown & Mark N Harris & Preety Srivastava, 2013. "Modelling Illegal Drug Participation in Australia," Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper series WP1303, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School.
    7. Bates Nancy & García Trejo Yazmín A. & Vines Monica, 2019. "Are Sexual Minorities Hard-to-Survey? Insights from the 2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Study (CBAMS) Survey," Journal of Official Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 35(4), pages 709-729, December.
    8. William Greene & Mark N. Harris & Preety Srivastava & Xueyan Zhao, 2018. "Misreporting and econometric modelling of zeros in survey data on social bads: An application to cannabis consumption," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 372-389, February.
    9. Nathan Berg & Todd Gabel, 2013. "Effects of New Welfare Reform Strategies on Welfare Participation: Microdata Estimates from Canada," Working Papers 1304, University of Otago, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2013.
    10. William H Greene & Mark N Harris & Preety Srivastava & Xueyan Zhao, 2013. "Econometric Modelling of Social Bads," Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper series WP1305, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School.
    11. Botti, Fabrizio & Conte, Anna & D'Ippoliti, Carlo, 2015. "Not so classy after all: Identity utility and the risk of discrimination of LGB people," MPRA Paper 65125, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Lenka Nováková & Jaroslava Varella Valentová & Jan Havlíček, 2013. "Olfactory Performance Is Predicted by Individual Sex-Atypicality, but Not Sexual Orientation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(11), pages 1-1, November.
    13. Fernando Ruiz Vallejo & Diederik Boertien, 2021. "Do same-sex unions dissolve more often than different-sex unions? Methodological insights from Colombian data on sexual behavior," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(48), pages 1149-1164.
    14. Botti, Fabrizio & D’Ippoliti, Carlo, 2014. "Don’t ask don’t tell (that you’re poor). Sexual orientation and social exclusion in Italy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 8-25.
    15. Alex Acworth & Nicolas de Roos & Hajime Katayama, 2012. "Substance use and adolescent sexual activity," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(9), pages 1067-1079, March.
    16. Michael E. Martell, 2014. "HOW ENDAs EXTEND THE WORKWEEK: LEGAL PROTECTION AND THE LABOR SUPPLY OF BEHAVIORALLY GAY MEN," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 32(3), pages 560-577, July.

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