Touching Beliefs: Using Touchscreen Technology to Elicit Beliefs and Subjective Expectations in Survey Research

When making decisions under uncertainty, individuals may form subjective expectations about probabilities of events relevant to their choice. Accurate measurement of subjective expectations is critical for high-quality data needed to analyze individual behavior. This study examines the development and validity of a new method of eliciting subjective expectations. Researchers developed a touchscreen-based application that combines an animated slider along with dynamic images that change relative sizes based on the probability indicated by the respondent. They have compared this method to the more traditional approach of using beans as visual aids. Findings suggest that the slider could be a viable elucidation method for empirical researchers who aim to collect data on subjective expectations.

Morsel helped researchers to develop the Android Application and data collection from 300 HHS.