Year: 2023
Type: report
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Analyses of self-reported-well-being (SWB) survey data may be confounded if people use response scales differently.We use calibration questions, designed to have the same objective answer across respondents, to measure dimensional (i.e., specific to an SWB dimension) and general (i.e., common across questions) scale-use heterogeneity.In a sample of ~3,350 MTurkers, we find substantial such heterogeneity that is correlated with demographics.We develop a theoretical framework and econometric approaches to quantify and adjust for this heterogeneity.We apply our new estimators in several standard SWB applications.Adjusting for general-scaleuse heterogeneity changes results in some cases.
DOI: 10.3386/w31728
Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Gordon College, Gordon College, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Cornell University, University of Southern California, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Michigan, Shandong University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4387026566