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Retrospective Questions and Correlations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

Dirk Sikkel*
Affiliation:
Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics
Gerard Jelierse
Affiliation:
Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics
*
Requests for reprints should be sent to Dirk Sikkel, Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics, PO Box 959, 2270AZ Voorburg, THE NETHERLANDS.

Abstract

In survey research it is not uncommon to ask questions of the following type: “How many times did you undertake action a in reference period T of length τ?.” The relationship is established between τ and the correlation of the number of reported actions with some background variable. To this end it is assumed that the process of actions satisfies a renewal model with individual heterogeneity. Also a model has to be formulated for possible recall effects. Applications are given in the field of medical consumption.

Type
Original Paper
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Psychometric Society

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Footnotes

The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics.

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