Developing Reliable and Globally Valid Measures for Economic Preferences – International Testing of the Global Preference Survey Module

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Michael Kosfeld; Dr. Zahra Sharafi
• Subject Area: Economic Policy, Applied Economics ; Empirical Social Research
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550273651

We conduct a cross-country study on the measurement of economic preferences, building upon the modules developed by Falk et al. (2018, 2023). Central to this research is the Global Preference Survey (GPS), which utilizes a set of survey questions designed to elicit economic preferences worldwide. These questions are derived from the Preference Survey Module (PSM), previously validated through incentivized choice experiments in Germany. Our research aims to expand the agenda by addressing outstanding questions regarding the measurement of economic preferences with these modules. Specifically, we aim to analyze whether survey items of the GPS or PSM can explain behavior in incentivized choice experiments in countries other than Germany, where the original validation was conducted. Furthermore, we intend to investigate the potential for enhancing existing preference measurement modules by evaluating their performance in terms of effectiveness and adaptability to various cultures and research needs. We have already taken a significant step toward achieving these goals by replicating the validation study in three countries: China, Iran, and Kenya. To complete this phase of our research, ensuring diversity in our sample characteristics and adequate global coverage, we aim to include two additional countries: one from North America and one from South America.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants