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The explanations of observed behavior in contingent valuation surveys are tested to demonstrate the potential for induced preference experiments. The results indicate that the weighted average theory of Carson, Groves and Machina's are met with, however, the cost uncertainty are ambiguous.

Some views on donation mechanisms that were presented by P.A. Champ, R.C. Bishop, T.C. Brown and D.W. McCollum in their article entitled 'Using donation mechanisms to value non-use benefits from public goods' are criticized. Champ and his co-authors' conclusion on actual donations as a theoretical lower bound on Hicksian values is inaccurate because it was found that donations can either be over, equal or below Hicksian values. This is dependent on the strength of warm glow and method of provision.

The article reveals that combining preference ordering with contingent valuation yields differing preferences among various groups within society. Results are based on a study of the opinions of households in Ireland concerning alternative afforestation programs; topics include environmental change, environmental equity and mixed reactions in a society.

This paper explores the psychological foundations of the 'Willingness to Pay/Willingness to Accept' discrepancy. Using a qualitative approach we find that the two response modes appear to invoke different strategies for completion. An examination of the heuristics used by respondents to answer questions concerning the buying and selling of the chance to play a straightforward lottery shows that only some couldbe taken as supporting current theories which aim to explain the discrepancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of the contingent valuation method (CVM) in this paper incorporates a prior preference ordering of several alternative future afforestation programmes which could be implemented in Ireland over the next decade. This particular experimental design is thereby shown to reveal the potentially conflicting preferences of different groups within society. These findings are used to devise appropriate CVM scenarios to take account, not only of the efficiency gains of choosing a single policy alternative over others, but also the effects on the distribution of non market benefit between different groups within society, arising from choice between alternatives. (c) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]