An administrative record check of program participation reporting in the first two SIPP interviews shows that, while response errors are rare, they have important biasing effects on estimates of means and correlations. Our search for models of the causes of the errors includes classical hypotheses about forgetting, memory decay, confusion about name attributes, telescoping, learning to underreport, interviewers, and proxy responses. While these hypotheses give occasional insights into isolated error problems, they do not provide a fundamental understanding of the error dynamics. We mention some exploratory cognitive research that may provide the broader understanding and may be useful in devising better measurement procedures.

Others in Series

Working Paper

Alternative Estimates of Economic Well-Being by Age

March 1990

This paper examines the use of income-wealth measures for the analysis of the distribution of economic well-being for age groups in the current period.

Working Paper

Longitudinal Analysis of Federal Survey Data

June 1990

The purpose of this paper is to provide some guidance to users and potential users of longitudinal data sets who are trying to sort out appropriate approaches.

Working Paper

Handling Single Wave Nonresponse in a Panel Survey

October 1990

In cross-sectional surveys, nonresponse is categorized in two ways: unit (total) nonresponse and item nonresponse.

Related Information

Survey of Income and Program Participation Working Papers

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