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Nonseparable Preferences, Measurement Error, and Unstable Survey Responses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2017

Dean Lacy
Dean Lacy*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1373. e-mail: dlacy+@osu.eduhttp://psweb.sbs.ohio-state.edu/faculty/dlacy/index.htm
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Abstract

A person has nonseparable preferences when her preference on an issue depends on the outcome of other issues. A model of survey responses in which preferences are measured with error implies that responses will change depending on the order of questions and vary over time when respondents have nonseparable preferences. Results from two survey experiments confirm that changes in survey responses due to question order are explained by nonseparable preferences but not by the respondent's level of political information, partisanship, or ideology.

Type
Research Article
Information
Political Analysis , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , 2001 , pp. 95 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 by the Society for Political Methodology 

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