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External Validity of Inferred Attribute NonAttendance: Evidence from a Laboratory Experiment with Real and Hypothetical Payoffs

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  • Tanga Mohr
  • John C. Whitehead

Abstract

We consider differences in hypothetical and real payoff laboratory experiments using attribute non-attendance methods. Attribute non-attendance is an empirical approach that measures and accounts for when survey respondents ignore attributes in stated preference surveys. We use attribute non-attendance methods with data from an emissions permit experiment with real and hypothetical payments. Our conjecture is that attribute non-attendance may be more pronounced in hypothetical sessions and, once accounted for, hypothetical decisions and real decisions influenced by monetary payoffs will be more similar. In both treatments we find that the effect of the cost of an emissions permit on behavior differs if the cost is implicit or explicit. In inferred attribute non-attendance models with the real treatment data we find two classes of respondents with different behavior but no evidence of attribute non-attendance. With the hypothetical treatment data we find two classes of respondents with different behavior and evidence of attribute non-attendance on two of the four choice attributes. Key Words: attribute non-attendance, emissions permits, laboratory experiment, stated preferences

Suggested Citation

  • Tanga Mohr & John C. Whitehead, 2023. "External Validity of Inferred Attribute NonAttendance: Evidence from a Laboratory Experiment with Real and Hypothetical Payoffs," Working Papers 23-05, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
  • Handle: RePEc:apl:wpaper:23-05
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    File URL: http://econ.appstate.edu/RePEc/pdf/wp2305.pdf
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    Keywords

    attribute non-attendance; emissions permits; laboratory experiment; stated preferences;
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