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Abstract
Designers of stated preference studies have placed an emphasis in recent years on
ensuring that questionnaires are defensible, and that all ‘hypothetical’ elements are
removed. A potential problem with this emphasis is that it can unwittingly increase the
hypothetical nature of the survey as well as necessitating the use of ethically questionable
statements. An alternative approach was recommended by Morrison (forthcoming) that
is ethically better and potentially less susceptible to hypothetical bias. This approach has
been used in several studies, with the results indicating that designing questionnaires in
an ethically neutral manner does not automatically lead to poorer quality models. In this
paper we present the results of a more rigorous split sample test to test the
appropriateness of using this approach. Minor evidence of strategic behaviour by a small
proportion of the respondents (about 7%) was identified; however the results indicate that
welfare estimates were not affected by designing questionnaires in this way.