Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

Contingent Choice Method

By
Preetam Pandey
B.E (Civil)

Submitted to Dr. K. P Pant, Instructor Resource Economics, Department of Human and Natural
Resource Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of I Semester

MASTER OF ARTS
in Human and Natural Resources Studies
at the

KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS

JULY 2009

1
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

Introduction:

Choice method has its origin in conjoint analysis and was initially developed in the marketing
and transport literature. Initially over the last couple of decades it was used in health research
and it’s application in the environmental sector is very recent. The choice modeling or
contingent choice method has now widely been applied in many areas of environmental and
resource economics, including; valuing leftover native vegetation, valuing environmental
attributes of rivers, modeling recreation demand for rock climbing, predicting user fees at
public recreation sites, estimating preservation of tropical rainforest, valuing protection of
aboriginal cultural heritage sites, and valuing cultural goods, heritage and monuments (Rolfe et
a., 2004). Like Contingent Valuation Method, Contingent Choice Method (CCM) is used for
measuring both use values and passive use values.

The method of valuation for non-marketed goods has become crucial when determining the
costs and benefits of public projects. Non-market valuation exercises have been conducted in
many different areas, ranging from health and environmental applications to transport and
public infrastructure projects. In the case of a good that is not traded in a market, an economic
value of that good obviously cannot be directly obtained from the market.

Markets fail to exist for some goods either because these goods simply do not exist yet, or
because they are public goods, for which exclusion is not possible. Nevertheless, if one wants to
compare different programs by using cost-benefit analysis, the change in the quality or quantity
of the non-market goods should be expressed in monetary terms. Another crucial application of
valuation techniques is the determination of damages associated with a certain event.

Over the last several decades economists have developed and refined a battery of methods for
estimating the non-market values of goods and services, such as those associated with forest.
These non-market valuation methods can be categorized as revealed and stated preference
methods depending on whether they are based on existing markets or constructed hypothetical
markets (Mitchell and Carson, 1989). Among the stated preference methods, the contingent
valuation method is most widely used. Other stated preference methods, notably contingent
choice method, is increasing in popularity amongst environmental economists.

2
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

A brief overview of Contingent Choice Method:

The contingent choice method is similar to contingent valuation, in that it can be used to
estimate economic values for virtually any ecosystem or environmental service, and can be
used to estimate non-use as well as use values. Like contingent valuation, it is a hypothetical
method – it asks people to make choices based on a hypothetical scenario. However, it differs
from contingent valuation because it does not directly ask people to state their values in
dollars. Instead, values are inferred from the hypothetical choices or tradeoffs that people
make. The contingent choice method asks the respondent to state a preference between one
group of environmental services or characteristics, at a given price or cost to the individual, and
another group of environmental characteristics at a different price or cost. Because it focuses
on tradeoffs among scenarios with different characteristics, contingent choice is especially
suited to policy decisions where a set of possible actions might result in different impacts on
natural resources or environmental services.

Contingent choice method is a hypothetical method and it does not ask the value of any
resources to state in currency or dollars instead values are inferred from the hypothetical
choices or tradeoffs that people make. The contingent choice method asks the respondent to
state a preference between one group of environmental services or characteristics, at a given
price or cost to the individual, and another group of environmental characteristics at a different
price or cost. It focuses on tradeoffs among scenarios with different characteristics; contingent
choice is especially suited to policy decision where a set of possible actions might result in
different impacts on natural resources or environmental services.

Choice methods are becoming ever more frequently applied to the valuation of non-market
goods. This method gives the value of a certain good by separately evaluating the preferences
of individuals for the relevant attributes that characterize that good, and in doing so it also
provides a large number of information that can be used in determining the preferred design of
goods.

Advantages of the Contingent Choice Method:

 This method can be used to value the outcomes of an action as a whole, as well as the
various attributes or effects of the action.
3
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

 The method allows respondents to think in terms of tradeoffs, which may be easier than
directly expressing dollar values. The tradeoff process may encourage respondent self-
examination and make it easier to check for consistency of responses. In addition,
respondents may be able to give more meaningful answers to questions about their
behavior (i.e. they prefer one alternative over another), than to questions that ask them
directly about the dollar value of a good or service or the value of changes in
environmental quality. Thus, an advantage of this method over the contingent
valuation method is that it does not ask the respondent to make a tradeoff directly
between environmental quality and money.
 Respondents are generally more comfortable providing qualitative rankings or ratings of
attribute bundles that include prices, rather than dollar valuation of the same bundles
without prices, by de-emphasizing price as simply another attribute.
 Survey methods may be better at estimating relative values than absolute values. Thus,
even if the absolute dollar values estimated are not precise, the relative values or
priorities elicited by a contingent choice survey are likely to be valid and useful for policy
decisions.
 The method minimizes many of the biases that can arise in open-ended contingent
valuation studies where respondents are presented with the unfamiliar and often
unrealistic task of putting prices on non-market amenities.
 The method has the potential to reduce problems such as expressions of symbolic
values, protest bids, and some of the other sources of potential bias associated with
contingent valuation.

Limitations of the Contingent Choice Method

 Respondents may find some tradeoffs difficult to evaluate, because they are unfamiliar.
 The respondents’ behavior underlying the results of a contingent choice study is not
well understood. Respondents may resort to simplified decision rules if the choices are
too complicated, which can bias the results of the statistical analysis.
 If the number of attributes or levels of attributes is increased, the sample size and/or
number of comparisons each respondent makes must be increased.
 When presented with a large number of tradeoff questions, respondents may lose
interest or become frustrated.
 Contingent choice may extract preferences in the form of attitudes instead of behavior
intentions.
4
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

 By only providing a limited number of options, it may force respondents to make

choices that they would not voluntarily make.
 Contingent ranking requires more sophisticated statistical techniques to estimate
willingness to pay.
 Translating the answers into dollar values, may lead to greater uncertainty in the actual
value that is placed on the good or service of interest.
 Although contingent choice has been widely used in the field of market research, its
validity and reliability for valuing non-market commodities is largely untested.

Theoretical Framework

The Contingent Choice Method technique is based on both random utility theory and the
characteristics theory of value. These allow environmental goods to be valued in terms of their
attributes by applying probabilistic choice models to choices between different combinations of
attributes. By making one of these attributes a price or cost term, marginal utility estimates can
be converted into monetary estimates for changes in attribute levels. Within the framework of
random utility, an individual’s indirect utility can take the following functional form (Louviere,
2001):
Uij = Vij + εij ……………………………………….……. (1)

where Uij is individual i’s utility of choosing option j, Vij is the deterministic (observable or
explainable) component of utility that individual i has for option j and εij is a stochastic element
(Being or having a random or unexplainable variable) that represents unobservable influences
on individual choice.

Steps showing how the method can be applied

(Application of the Contingent Choice Method)

Step 1:
In the first step the valuation problem is defined. This includes preparation of scope of work
like determining exactly what services are being valued, and who the relevant population is.

Step 2:
The second step is to make preliminary decisions about the survey itself. It defines the mode of
the survey to be conducted, whether it may be conducted via mail, phone or in person, how
large the sample size will be, who will be surveyed, and other related questions. The answers

5
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

will depend, among other things, on the importance of the valuation issue, the complexity of
the question(s) being asked, and the size of the budget.

Direct personal interviews are generally the most effective for complex questions, because it is
often easier to explain the required background information to respondents in person, and
people are more likely to complete a long survey when they are interviewed in person. In some
cases, visual aids such as videos or color photographs may be presented to help respondents
understand the conditions of the scenario(s) that they are being asked to value.

Direct personal interviews are generally expensive. However, mail surveys that follow
procedures that aim to obtain high response rates can also be quite expensive. Mail and
telephone surveys must be kept fairly short, or response rates are likely to drop dramatically.
Telephone surveys are generally not appropriate for contingent choice surveys, because of the
difficulty of conveying the tradeoff questions to people over the telephone.

Step 3:

The next step is the actual survey design. This is the most important and difficult part of the
process, and may take six months or more to complete. It is accomplished in several steps. The
survey design process usually starts with initial interviews and/or focus groups with the types of
people who will be receiving the final survey example the general public. In the initial focus
groups, the researchers would ask general questions, including questions about peoples’
understanding of the issues related to the site, whether they are familiar with the site and its
resources and environment, whether and how they value this site and the habitat services it
provides.

In later focus groups, the questions would get more detailed and specific, to help develop
specific questions for the survey, as well as decide what kind of background information is
needed and how to present it. For example, people might need information on the location
and characteristics of the site, the uniqueness of any resources for example any species that
have important habitat in the site, and whether there are any substitute sites that provide
similar habitat.

At this stage, the researchers would test different approaches to the choice question. Usually,
a contingent choice survey will ask each respondent a series of choice questions, each
presenting different combinations and levels of the relevant services, as well as the cost to the

6
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

respondent of the action or policy. Each choice might be described in terms of the site’s ability
to support each of the important resources. Thus, people will be making tradeoffs among the
different resources that might be affected in different ways by each possible choice of scenario.

After a number of focus groups have been conducted, and the researchers have reached a
point where they have an idea of how to provide background information, describe the
hypothetical scenario, and ask the choice question, they will start pre-testing the survey.

Step 4:

The next step is the actual survey implementation. The first task is to select the survey sample.
Ideally, the sample should be a randomly selected sample of the relevant population, using
standard statistical sampling methods. The researchers would different methods; for example if
it’s a mail survey then they use a standard repeat-mailing and reminder method, in order to get
the greatest possible response rate for the survey. Telephone surveys are carried out in a
similar way, with a certain number of calls to try to reach the selected respondents. In-person
surveys may be conducted with random samples of respondents, or may use “convenience”
samples – asking people in public places to fill out the survey.

Step 5:

The final step is to compile, analyze and report the results. The statistical analysis for
contingent choice is often more complicated than that for contingent valuation, requiring the
use of discrete choice analysis methods to infer willingness to pay from the tradeoffs made by
respondents.

From the analysis, the researchers can estimate the average value for each of the services of
the site, for an individual or household in our sample. This can be extrapolated to the relevant
population in order to calculate the total benefits from the site under different policy
scenarios. The average value for a specific action and its outcomes can also be estimated, or
the different policy options can simply be ranked in terms of peoples’ preferences.

Formats for applying Contingent choice method

There are a variety of formats for applying contingent choice methods, including:

 Contingent Ranking—Contingent ranking surveys ask individuals to compare and rank

alternate program outcomes with various characteristics, including costs. For instance,
7
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

people might be asked to compare and rank several mutually exclusive environmental
improvement programs under consideration for a watershed, each of which has
different outcomes and different costs. Respondents are asked to rank the alternatives
in order of preference.
 Discrete Choice—In the discrete choice approach, respondents are simultaneously
shown two or more different alternatives and their characteristics, and asked to identify
the most preferred alternative in the choice.
 Paired Rating—This is a variation on the discrete choice format, where respondents are
asked to compare two alternate situations and are asked to rate them in terms of
strength of preference. For instance, people might be asked to compare two
environmental improvement programs and their outcomes, and state which is
preferred, and whether it is strongly, moderately, or slightly preferred to the other
program.

How Do We Use the Results?

The results of the survey might show that the economic benefits of preserving the site by not
implementing any project are greater than the benefits received from allowing the project. If
this were the case, the project lease might not be issued, unless other factors override these
results. Alternatively, the results might indicate that some project scenarios are acceptable, in
terms of economic costs and benefits. The results could then be used to rank different options,
and to help select the most preferred option.

Data Required and Possible Sources

Data Required

Physical Environment: Topography, Land use pattern in the project and surrounding area, air
quality, Climate, Hydrology, Geology, Infrastructures (bridge, water supply system, schools or
educational institutions, hospitals, health post, offices etc.), transportation facilities, tourism.

Biological Environment:
Forest and vegetation resources, wild life, birds, aquatic life of fishes etc

Socio & Cultural Environment:

Demography, settlement patterns, occupation and economy, education, health and sanitation,
fuel resources, religious, cultural and historical sites etc.

8
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

Possible Sources:
Secondary: Maps, Literatures, Published and unpublished books, papers, journals, reports etc,
Country/ District/ Municipality/ VDC profiles, records maintained in concerned agencies etc.

Primary: Filling Questionnaires, Field Interview, phone calls, mails, Data collection by
interaction/ participatory approach like Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Participatory Rural
Appraisal (PRA) etc.

One Case Study Available in Literature as an example

Case : Landfill Siting in Rhode Island

The Situation
With its primary landfill nearing capacity, the State of Rhode Island was faced with the need to
choose locations for new landfills, a highly controversial process.

The Challenge
Besides technical considerations, the State wanted to address the social and economic
tradeoffs and values related to the location of a landfill. In this way, State officials hoped to
avoid some of the controversy associated with landfill siting.

The Analysis
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island conducted a contingent choice, paired
comparison, survey. The survey asked Rhode Island residents to choose between pairs of
hypothetical sites and locations for a new landfill, described in terms of their characteristics.
The site comparisons described the natural resources that would be lost on a hypothetical 500
acre landfill site. The location comparisons described the area surrounding the landfill. Each
comparison also gave the cost per household for locating a landfill at each hypothetical site or
location.

The Results
The results of the survey were used by the State to predict how residents would vote in a
referendum on different possible landfill locations. First, 59 possible sites were selected, based
on geological and public health criteria. These sites were ranked using the contingent choice
survey results, in order to come up with a short list of potential sites, which was further

9
Resource Economics Contingent Choice Method

evaluated and narrowed down. The final decision, based on geological, public health, public
preferences, and political considerations, was to expand the existing landfill site.

Conclusion:

The contingent choice method asks the respondent to state a preference between one group of
environmental services or characteristics, at a given price or cost to the individual, and another
group of environmental characteristics at a different price or cost. Because it focuses on
tradeoffs among scenarios with different characteristics, contingent choice is especially suited
to policy decisions where a set of possible actions might result in different impacts on natural
resources or environmental services. The design of a contingent choice method experiment is a
challenging process requiring a combination of logic experience and empirical detective work.

References

Francisco Alpízar, F. C. (2001). Using Choice Experiments for Non-Market Valuation. Economic Issues,
Vol.8 , Part 1, , 83 - 110.

Fredrik Carlsson, P. F. (2003). Valuing wetland attributes: an application of choice experiments.

Ecological Economics , 95 - 103.

Joan Mogas, P. R. (2006). A comparison of contingent valuation and choice modelling. Journal of Forest
Economics , 5 - 30.

John Rolfe, K. A. (2004). Designing the Choice Modelling Survey Instrument for Establishing Riparian
Buffers in the Fitzroy Basin.

Wang, J. R. (November 2008). Exploring Scope and Scale Issues in Choice Modelling Design.
Environmental Economics Research Hub: ISSN 1835-9728 .

Internet Sources:

www.ecosystemvaluation.org

10