A Bug Is a Bug Is a Bug: Symbolic Responses to Contingent Valuation Questions about Forest Pest control programs?

Abstract

Symbolic responses are one of many issues attending contingent valuation studies. The problem is that many objects that are the subject of contingent valuation surveys can act as symbols for larger issues. In this paper, we want to compare the attitudes of residents of five communities with two different forest pests, jack pine budworm and gypsy moth. Jack pine budworm affects commercially important forests in Canada, while gypsy moth generally affects recreational areas and has less commercial significance. All of the respondents were asked about both insects; however, not all of the communities had direct experience with both insects. The purpose is to examine whether respondents would differentiate their willingness to pay for control mechanisms between these different defoliators. The implication is that all bugs are alike and generally noxious, a notion that would not necessarily sit well with resource managers who have to deal with insect outbreaks. Respondents did not differentiate strongly between insect control programs that would impact their community and those that would not. While not conclusive, the results do suggest symbolic responses to this particular issue. This is further evidence that willingness-to-pay results from contingent valuation studies need to be cautiously interpreted as pseudo market values.Les réponses symboliques sont l'une des nombreuses questions qui se rattachent aux enquêtes par la méthode des enchères. C'est qu'une bonne partie des objets visés dans ce type d'étude peuvent servir de symboles à des questions plus vastes. Nous voulions ici comparer les attitudes des habitants de cinq localités de l'Ontario à l'égard de deux insectes ravageurs des forêts, la tordeuse du pin gris et la spongieuse. Le premier s'attaque aux peuplements forestiers exploitables, tandis que le second intéresse en général les zones de loisirs mais revêt une importance commerciale moins forte. On interrogeait tous les enquêtés au sujet des deux insectes, même si les localités n'en n'avaient pas toutes subi l'expérience immédiate. On voulait savoir si leur disposition à assumer le coût de programmes de lutte était le même envers les deux défoliateurs, c'est-à-dire que pour eux tous les insectes seraient pareils et généralement nuisibles, une réaction qui ne ferait pas l'affaire des gestionnaires de ressources qui doivent faire face à des foyers d'infestation. De fait, les enquêtés ne faisaient pas beaucoup de différence entre les programmes de lutte qui concernaient leur localité et ceux qui ne la concernaient pas. Sans être concluants, les résultats font apparaître des réponses symboliques à cette question particulière et viennent renforcer le besoin de prudence lorsqu'on interprète les données de disposition à payer obtenues par la méthode des enchères comme pseudo-valeurs commerciales. ). There are numerous issues attending actual applications such as framing (context) effects (Mitchell and Carson 1989), embedding effects (i.e., valuations dependent on whether a good is valued as part of a larger goo...

Social Benefits of Controlling Forest Insect Outbreaks: A Contingent Valuation Analysis in Two Canadian Provinces

“…Another important finding was that respondents in both provinces had consistently (and significantly) higher WTP for controlling SBW outbreaks than for FTC outbreaks, implying that symbolic responses may not be an issue in this study. This finding differed from that of MacDonald et al (1997), who found that survey respondents did not differentiate strongly their WTP values for control between jack pine budworm and gypsy moth. Possible factors that may have helped reduce potential symbolic bias in our study included the fact that each insect considered was very distinct in its environmental/social/economic impacts and that the public in each province had different experiences with each insect.…”

“…While a number of economic studies have estimated the timber value impacts associated with forest insect infestations and/or control efforts (e.g., McCay and White 1973; McLean 1985; Miller et al 1993; Campbell and Schlarbaum 1994; Hall and Moody 1994; Krcmar‐Nozic et al 2000; Sydnor et al 2007; Slaney et al 2010), relatively few studies have examined impacts on other social values, most of which do not have market prices (e.g., Walsh et al 1990; Miller and Lindsay 1993; Holmes and Kramer 1996; MacDonald et al 1997; Kramer et al 2002).…”

“…In one of the few CVM studies applied to forest insects in Canada, MacDonald et al (1997) analyzed and compared WTP values for future jack pine budworm and gypsy moth control in five communities in Ontario. Using an open‐ended WTP question format, they found that 58–71% of survey respondents were willing to pay on average $14.9 to $27.4/year (in 1997 $CDN) to control these insects.…”

A survey on attitudes toward control of forest insects

“…Consequently, the main emphasis was not to construct statistical comparisons (MacDonald et al 1997), but rather to accurately describe an entire pattern of results. To examine whether or not communities experiencing different pests differed in their attitudes to control of these pests, responses were pooled by jack pine budworm communities (Espanola, Dryden and Kenora) and compared with data pooled h m the gypsy moth communities (Twed and Bracebridge).…”

“…More informed respondents about either the jack pine budworm or gypsy moth might show an even stronger differentiation, based on their increased awareness of the ecological differences between these two types of insects. On the other hand, it is conceivable that people perceive all insect pests equally -a bug is a bug is a bug (MacDonald et al 1997). This has important implications for information programs that seek to inform the public about management options.…”