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Experimental Design Criteria and Their Behavioural Efficiency: An Evaluation in the Field

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  • Richard Yao
  • Riccardo Scarpa
  • John Rose
  • James Turner

Abstract

Comparative results from an evaluation of inferred attribute non-attendance are provided for experimental designs optimised for three commonly employed statistical criteria, namely: orthogonality, Bayesian D-efficiency and optimal orthogonality in the difference. Survey data are from a choice experiment used to value the conservation of threatened native species in New Zealand’s production forests. In line with recent literature, we argue that attribute non-attendance can be taken as one of the important measures of behavioural efficiency. We focus on how this varies when alternative design criteria are used. Attribute non-attendance is inferred using an approach based on constrained latent classes. Given our proposed criterion to evaluate behavioural efficiency, our data indicate that the Bayesian D-efficiency criterion provides behaviourally more efficient choice tasks compared to the other two criteria. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Yao & Riccardo Scarpa & John Rose & James Turner, 2015. "Experimental Design Criteria and Their Behavioural Efficiency: An Evaluation in the Field," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 62(3), pages 433-455, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:62:y:2015:i:3:p:433-455
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-014-9823-7
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