BUDGET-CONSTRAINT, TEMPORAL, AND QUESTION-ORDERING EFFECTS IN CONTINGENT VALUATION STUDIES

A split-sample approach is employed to test three potential design opt ions for contingent valuation studies. A survey of unpriced woodland r ecreation is undertaken to test: (a) the impact of introducing budget- constraint questions; (b) the effect of varying temporal extent from w illingness to pay (WTP) per annum to WTP per visit; and (c) the conseq uences of varying the order in which such WTP questions are presented to respondents. Some significant design effects are detected. Alternat ive explanations of such findings are considered and implications disc ussed.