I didn't tell, and I won't tell: dynamic response error in the SIPP

Using state administrative records matched to the 1984 Survey of Income and Program Participation, we examine intertemporal relationships in response errors. False negative errors in reporting food stamps are highly correlated across interviews for the same household. Hypotheses that the error process can be explained by learning behaviour are not supported. Bivariate probit of response error in two periods reveals that responses to covariates are stable over time and the latent error terms are positively correlated. These findings support the hypothesis that respondents have a latent tendency to cooperate (or not cooperate) with surveys.