Stated Preference Questionnaires

Abstract

Directly asking people their willingness to pay or accept compensation for aesthetic changes is a popular approach to their valuation. A format is often favoured in which respondents are invited to say whether they would or would not pay or accept a stipulated sum. Numerous difficulties arise, through the hypothetical nature of the question, through possible bias in posing it, and through self-interested strategic response. Interviewees may be unprepared to give an answer. Respondents may misunderstand the scope of what is being considered, and giving more information may lead to unwanted valuations' being included. Putting the question in a voting context may avoid some problems, as may offering choice between mixed environmental/monetary packages. People attempting to act as ``good citizens'' clouds the meaning of their responses. There remain opposed views on the efficacy of this approach.