Record Details
Valuing Snake River salmon : a test of contingent value survey methods
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Valuing Snake River salmon : a test of contingent value survey methods |
| Names |
Rooney, Brian T.
(creator) Kerkvliet, Joe (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1997-06-12 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1998 |
| Abstract | This paper provides probit estimates of willingness to pay for Snake River salmon recovery projects using the contingent value survey method. Two types of survey method are tested, the direct question format and the randomized response format. Additionally, both an increase in electric bill payments and volunteer time are offered as payment vehicles. The results suggest that there is not much difference in estimates of willingness to pay between the two survey formats. They also suggest that for the Oregon State University staff, there is substantial willingness to pay through electric bill increases but not in volunteer time. By guaranteeing the respondents anonymity, the randomized response format is hypothesized to encourage more truthful answers, thereby reducing yea-saying bias. The results indicate that yea-saying may be reduced for those who contribute to environmental causes but overall does not affect willingness to pay. Other studies using the randomized response format that show a reduction in yea-saying and willingness to pay were done in classroom settings while this survey was a mail survey. There is an indication that the privacy and anonymity of the mail survey is enough to mitigate social pressure and yea-saying as opposed to a classroom setting. This suggests that the randomized response format may be more appropriate for group surveys or personal interview surveys. The result that there is substantial monetary support in the form of an increase in electric bills but not in the form of volunteer time payments may be due to the sample being fully employed. Also Snake River salmon restoration projects may seem geographically distant to this sample so volunteer activities may seem unrealistic. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Pacific salmon -- Economic aspects -- Oregon -- Corvallis |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/33792 |
