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Understanding Economic Behavior Using Open-ended Survey Data

Author

Listed:
  • Ingar K. Haaland
  • Christopher Roth
  • Stefanie Stantcheva
  • Johannes Wohlfart

Abstract

We survey the recent literature in economics using open-ended survey data to uncover mechanisms behind economic beliefs and behaviors. We first provide an overview of different applications, including the measurement of motives, mental models, narratives, attention, information transmission, and recall. We next describe different ways of eliciting open-ended responses, including single-item open-ended questions, speech recordings, and AI-powered qualitative interviews. Subsequently, we discuss methods to annotate and analyze such data with a focus on recent advances in large language models. Our review concludes with a discussion of promising avenues for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingar K. Haaland & Christopher Roth & Stefanie Stantcheva & Johannes Wohlfart, 2024. "Understanding Economic Behavior Using Open-ended Survey Data," NBER Working Papers 32421, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32421
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    Cited by:

    1. Sebastian Link & Andreas Peichl & Christopher Roth & Johannes Wohlfart, 2023. "Attention to the Macroeconomy," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 256, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    2. Galasso, Vincenzo & Nannicini, Tommaso & Nozza, Debora, 2024. "We Need to Talk: Audio Surveys and Information Extraction," IZA Discussion Papers 17488, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    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. Bocar A. Ba & Abdoulaye Ndiaye & Roman G. Rivera & Alexander Whitefield, 2024. "Mispricing Narratives after Social Unrest," CESifo Working Paper Series 11264, CESifo.
    5. 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.

    More about this item

    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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