Journal article
Inference from biased polls
Games and economic behavior, Vol.148, pp.449-486
11/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2024.10.007
Abstract
People often attempt to present a positive image by overstating virtuous behaviors when responding to unincentivized “polls.” We examine whether others account for this “socially desirable responding” (SDR) when drawing inferences from such unincentivized responses. In an experiment, we incentivize “predictors” to guess others' choice behaviors across actions with varying social desirability. Predictors observe random subsamples of either (i) incentivized choices or (ii) hypothetical claims. The hypothetical claims exhibit systematic SDR and predictors are reasonably skeptical of them. However, their skepticism is not tailored to the direction or magnitude of SDR. This under-correction occurs even though subjects' stated sentiment toward the actions can predict SDR.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Inference from biased polls
- Creators
- Andy Brownback - University of Arkansas at FayettevilleNathaniel Burke - West Virginia UniversityTristan Gagnon-Bartsch - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Games and economic behavior, Vol.148, pp.449-486
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.geb.2024.10.007
- ISSN
- 0899-8256
- eISSN
- 1090-2473
- Number of pages
- 38
- Grant note
- 1730651 / NSF (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000001) AEARCTR-0005186 / AEA (https://doi.org/10.13039/100014390)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2024
- Academic Unit
- Economics
- Record Identifier
- 9984748259902771
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