Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/322222 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
Centre for Land Tenure Studies Working Paper No. 03/25
Publisher: 
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Centre for Land Tenure Studies (CLTS), Ås
Abstract: 
Multiple Price Lists (MPLs) or Choice Lists (CLs) are widely used to elicit risk and time preferences, yet are prone to cognitive biases, particularly among respondents with limited numeracy skills. This paper compares three elicitation approaches; row-by-row from the top, from the bottom, and a Rapid Elicitation (RE) method using random starting points; in a field experiment with 906 rural Malawian farmers. With 20 MPLs per subject, we estimate starting point and order biases in switch points using nonparametric and parametric methods. Row-by-row elicitation from the top or bottom introduces significant bias in preference elicitation, with effect sizes of up to 0.4 standard deviations. In contrast, the RE approach yields significantly lower starting point bias (Cohen's d of 0.08 or less). Order effects were present but smaller in magnitude. RE also reduced cognitive load and shortened response time. These findings underscore the importance of the elicitation method in experimental design, particularly in low-literacy settings. The RE method offers a more reliable and scalable tool for eliciting behavioral preferences in development economics.
Subjects: 
Multiple Price Lists
Elicitation method
Starting point bias
Order bias
Field experiment
Malawi
JEL: 
C93
D81
D91
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
ISBN: 
978-82-7490-333-3
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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