Social influences on expressed willingness to pay: results of a deliberative monetary valuation study in Colombia. Issue 9 (2nd September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vargas, Andrés; Lo, Alex Y.; Rohde, Nicholas; Howes, Michael
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental planning and management. Volume 60:Issue 9(2017)
• Page Start: 1511
• Page End: 1528
• Publication Date: 2017-09-02
• Subjects: deliberative monetary valuation -- deliberative democracy -- social conformity -- willingness to pay -- Tropical Dry Forest; City planning -- Periodicals; City planning -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2016.1232646
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-0568

Abstract

Abstract : Deliberative monetary valuation (DMV) methods can support environmental decision making by enabling the exchange of arguments and information to produce more democratic outcomes. The product of a valuation may be an array of expressions of willingness to pay (WTP) by individuals or a collectively agreed monetary value. Concerns have been raised, however, as to whether this product is an outcome of thoughtful and independent decision-making or influenced by social pressures to conform. Our study examines this issue and addresses concerns about the use of DMV, based on a public deliberation of forest conservation in Colombia. We analyzed the impacts of social conformity on WTP under two different decision scenarios: individual and collective. The results suggest that the impacts of social conformity are greater when a collective decision is required. These findings indicate that tensions between the differing goals of DMV could undermine its democratic promise.