Date and Time: April 20th, 2022, 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Room: Online via Zoom
Abstract
Randomized response survey methods use noise to mask respondents’ answers to stigmatizing questions. Respondents weigh the preference for honesty against the disutility of stigmatization when deciding how to answer. Since the disutility of stigmatization depends on the degree of noise, the interviewer designs the survey to balance two goals: (i) honest reporting by respondents and (ii) maximization of the accuracy of estimates based on the survey. We fully characterize the non-linear set of design parameter that lead to truth-telling, as well as the interviewer’s equilibrium survey design.
About the Speaker
James Fisher is one of our own faculty members. His research in industrial organization and microeconomics focuses on the effects of incomplete information and investment on markets and organizations. It draws on game theory, experimental economics, and behavioral economics.