Estimating Features of a Distribution from Binomial Data

Arthur Lewbel, Daniel McFadden and Oliver Linton

No 442, Boston College Working Papers in Economics from Boston College Department of Economics

Abstract: We propose estimators of features of the distribution of an unobserved random variable W. What is observed is a sample of Y; V; X where a binary Y equals one when W exceeds a threshold V determined by experimental design, and X are covariates. Potential applications include bioassay and destructive duration analysis. Our empirical application is referendum contingent valuation in resource economics, where one is interested in features of the distribution of values W (willingness to pay) placed by consumers on a public good such as endangered species. Sample consumers with characteristics X are asked whether they favor (with Y = 1 if yes and zero otherwise) a referendum that would provide the good at a cost V specified by experimental design. This paper provides estimators for quantiles and conditional on X moments of W under both nonparametric and semiparametric specifications.

Keywords: Willingness to Pay; Contingent Valuation; Discrete Choice; Binomial response; Bioassay; Destructive Duration Testing; Semiparametric; Nonparametric; Latent Variable Models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 C25 C42 H41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1997-05-15, Revised 2010-07-01
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

Downloads: (external link)
http://fmwww.bc.edu/EC-P/wp442.pdf main text (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Estimating features of a distribution from binomial data (2011)
Working Paper: Estimating features of a distribution from binomial data (2006)
Working Paper: Estimating features of a distribution from binomial data (2001)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:boc:bocoec:442

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Boston College Working Papers in Economics from Boston College Department of Economics Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().