PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Fenichel, Eli P.
AU  - Lupi, Frank
AU  - Hoehn, John P.
AU  - Kaplowitz, Michael D.
TI  - Split-Sample Tests of “No Opinion” Responses in an Attribute-Based Choice Model
AID  - 10.3368/le.85.2.348
DP  - 2009 May 01
TA  - Land Economics
PG  - 348--362
VI  - 85
IP  - 2
4099  - http://le.uwpress.org/content/85/2/348.short
4100  - http://le.uwpress.org/content/85/2/348.full
SO  - Land Econ2009 May 01; 85
AB  - Researchers using questionnaires to elicit preferences must decide whether to include response options that allow respondents to express “no opinion.” Using a split-sample design, we explore the implications of alternative answer formats including and not including no-opinion responses in an attribute-based choice experiment. The results indicate that using multiple no-opinion responses may enable researchers to differentiate between respondents who choose no-opinion options due to satisficing and those expressing utility indifference. Existing literature suggests no-opinion responses may be treated as “no,” but our results show treating no-opinion responses as “no” can yield substantially disparate preference estimates. (JEL C25, Q24, Q25, Q51)