Determinants of protest responses in environmental valuation: A meta-study

Certain design characteristics of stated preference surveys are often linked to protest responses. The dichotomous choice format, for example, is said to result in fewer protest responses. However, not much is known at present about the relationship between survey characteristics and the level of protesting. Only partial analysis comparing, for instance, the influence of different payment vehicles on protesting, has been conducted to date. This paper analyses the determinants of protest responses using 254 samples derived from 157 environmental valuation studies. Determinants include the elicitation format, the payment vehicle, the survey method, and the geographical origin. Results of bivariate and multivariate analyses confirm some of the propositions presented in the literature such as a higher number of protesters when entrance fees are used as a payment vehicle. However, many of the characteristics included in the analysis do not significantly impact protesting. Another result is that reporting on identification and treatment of protest responses in subsequent analysis is inadequate in the majority of studies and would benefit from some standardisation.