Being surveyed can change later behavior and related parameter estimates

Peterson Zwane, Alix;Zinman, Jonathan;Van Dusen, Eric;Parienté, William;Duflo, Esther;et.al.
(2011) Proceedings of the National academy of sciences of the United States of America — Vol. 108, n° 5, p. 1821-1826 (2011)

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Authors
  • Peterson Zwane, AlixBill and Melinda Gates Foundation
    Author
  • Zinman, JonathanInnovation for poverty, Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Darthmouth College
    Author
  • Van Dusen, EricUniversity of California Berkeley
    Author
  • Parienté, WilliamUCLouvain
    Author
  • Duflo, EstherInnovation for Poverty action, Jameel Poverty Action Lab, MIT
    Author
  • et. al.
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Abstract
Does completing a household survey change the later behavior of those surveyed? In three field studies of health and two of microlending, we randomly assigned subjects to be surveyed about health and/or household finances and then measured subsequent use of a related product with data that does not rely on subjects' self-reports. In the three health experiments, we find that being surveyed increases use of water treatment products and take-up of medical insurance. Frequent surveys on reported diarrhea also led to biased estimates of the impact of improved source water quality. In two microlending studies, we do not find an effect of being surveyed on borrowing behavior. The results suggest that limited attention could play an important but context-dependent role in consumer choice, with the implication that researchers should reconsider whether, how, and how much to survey their subjects.
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Peterson Zwane, A., Zinman, J., Van Dusen, E., Parienté, W., Null, C., Miguel, E., Kremer, M., Karlan, D. S., Hornbeck, R., Duflo, E., & et al. (2011). Being surveyed can change later behavior and related parameter estimates. Proceedings of the National academy of sciences of the United States of America, 108(5), 1821-1826. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1000776108 (Original work published 2011)