We document an effect of survey participation on household saving. Identification comes from random assignment to modules within a population-representative Internet panel. The saving measure is based on linked administrative wealth data. Households that responded to a detailed questionnaire on needs in retirement reduced their non-housing saving rate by 3.5 percentage points, on a base of 1.5%. The survey may have acted as a salience shock, possibly with respect to reduced housing costs in retirement. Our findings present an important challenge to survey designers. They also add to the evidence of limited attention in household financial decision making.
Authors
![Thomas Crossley](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-07/Tom%20Crossley.jpg?itok=8BNVWAtq)
Research Fellow University of Michigan
Tom is a Research Fellow at IFS, a Research Professor for the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.
![Person graphic](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-06/IFS-person-graphic.png?itok=hWCtTSrz)
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
![Person graphic](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-06/IFS-person-graphic.png?itok=hWCtTSrz)
Liam Delaney
![Person graphic](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-06/IFS-person-graphic.png?itok=hWCtTSrz)
Jochem de Bresser
Journal article details
- DOI
- 10.1111/ecoj.12398
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Issue
- March 2017
Suggested citation
Crossley, T et al. (2017). 'Can survey participation alter household saving behaviour?' (2017)
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