How Accurate Are Recall Data? Evidence from Coastal India

de Nicola, Francesca ; Gine, Xavier

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ABSOLUTE ERRORS;    ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS;    ATTENTION;    BENCHMARK;    BOOTSTRAP;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-6009
RP-ID  :  WPS6009

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper investigates the accuracy ofrecall data by comparing administrative records withretrospective, self-reported survey responses to income andasset questions for a sample of self-employed householdsfrom coastal India. It finds that the magnitude of therecall error increases over time, in part becauserespondents rely less on memory and instead infer earningsbased on past earnings. Individuals tend to recall monthlyearnings more accurately when they are higher than themedian. These results imply that the variance estimated fromthe self-reported earnings distribution will be lower thanthe real one. The paper also finds that data reported byincome earners are more accurate than those by their wives.In addition, the use of time cues can worsen accuracy ifthey are not relevant to the respondent. Where the recallquestions are placed in the two-hour long survey, however,does not affect accuracy.