Capability Measurement in Survey Design

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The Measurement of Capabilities Welfare
Economics Beyond GDP

• Paul Anand
• The Open University
• Economics

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AHRB Research Team

• Paul Anand, The Open University
• Ian Carter, Universita di Pavia
• Keith Dowding, London School of Economics
• Francesco Guala, Exeter University
• Martin van Hees, Groningen Universiteit
• Graham Hunter, The Open University
• with help from Maria Sigala (Oxford), Ingrid
  Robeyns (Leiden), Ron Smith (Birkbeck) and
  Cristina Santos (UCL/Open)

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Plan

• Motivation and Context
• Theory
• Data Design
• Some results and analysis
• Conclusions to date and next steps

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Project Motivation

• Human Development Index
• Enrica Chiappero Martinetti (various)
• Brandolini and DAlessio (1999)
• The purpose is to assess the operational
  content of the approach ie the empirical methods
  to measure functionings and capabilitiesmuch of
  what one can do depends the available data.we
  discussed the practical difficulties of moving to
  capabilities and proposed to remain in the
  (refined) functionings space.
• Source Plenary paper given to the International
  Economics Association Congress, Buenos Aires

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Theory (Sen 1985 pp11-4)

• ui hi(.)
• ui is happiness enjoyed
• hi (fi(c(xi)))
• xi is vector of commodities possessed by i
• c(.) converts commodity vector into vector of
  characteristics
• fi(.) reflects one pattern of use ? Fi
• Qi represents the freedom a person has in terms
  of the choice of functionings, given his personal
  features Fiand his command over commodities Xi.
• Our approach
• 1. Elicit indicators of Qi, Ci,j where j 166
• 2. Estimate lsi hs(Ci,j)
• where s in hs is null or allows only partial
  heterogeneity
• 3. Use techniques like latent class that dont
  need depvar
• 4. Find complementary secondary data sources

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A. Anand and van Hees (2006)

• Question Types
• Achievements and Scope
• Perceived distribution of scope
• Domains
• Happiness
• Success
• Health
• Intellectual Stimulation
• Social Relations
• Environments
• Personal Integrity
• Overall Options
• Models
• Overall Options Satisfaction
• Individual Achievements

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Questions

• Generally, my life is happy (strongly agree...)
• c. I feel the scope to seek happiness in my life
  is
• (very good)
• d. The proportion of the population who have
  severely limited opportunities to seek happiness
  is (0-9,)
• a. I have satisfying social relations (strongly
  agree)
• c. I feel the scope to form satisfying social
  relations in my life is (very good)
• d. The proportion of the population who have
  severely limited opportunities to form satisfying
  social relations is (0-9)
• a. I live a health life for my age (strongly
  agree)
• b. I feel the scope to live a healthy life for my
  age is (very good)
• d. The proportion of the population who have
  severely limited opportunities to live healthy
  lives for their age is (0-9)

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Some Conclusions

• Each achievement is a function of its respective
  capability
• Estimates of other capabilities are often
  anchored on own capabilities with notable
  exceptions
• Greatest scope health/environment
• Least scope social relations/personal integrity
• Issues to be Addressed
• Sample Size
• Secondary Data
• Question Type

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B. Anand Hunter and Smith (2005) Social
Indicators Research

• Aim
• Explore links between satisfaction and
  capabilities using BHPS data

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Econometric Approach

• s a bC e
• s a bC cP e
• pjhat sj-sjhat
• s a bC cPhat e
• Test for endogeneity c0

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Adaptation Issues

• Need for a Normative Theory
• If Complete and Instantaneous Goods would have
  no observable impact on life satisfaction
• There is some evidence of adaptation especially
  to improvements so capabilities which impact life
  satisfaction are only the utilitarian
  capabilities

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Two Conclusions

• Person specific effects significant
• Secondary data exists but is sparse

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C. AHRB Project to Measure Capabilities

• Research Question
• Can we measure capabilities across a wide
  spectrum of human domains within the conventions
  applicable to national household and social
  surveys?

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Framework for Questions

• Nussbaum (2000) similar to many others
• Rationale
• Comprehensive
• Robust
• Dont require universal claims
• Has normative grounding

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Question Categories

• Life
• Bodily Health
• Bodily Integrity
• Senses Imagination and Thought
• Emotions
• Practical Reason
• Affiliation
• Nature
• Leisure
• Control over ones Environment

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Bodily Health

• Being able to have good health, including
  reproductive health to be adequately nourished
  to have adequate shelter

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• 2 Bodily Health
• Being able to have good health,
• BHEALTH (Q57)
• Does your health in any way limit your daily
  activities compared to most people of your age?
• Yes, No. BHPS
• including reproductive health
• BREPRODUCT (Q61)
• Are you able to have children?
• Yes, No, Don't know, Prefer not to answer
• If No
• Please indicate the reason(s) you are not able to
  have children.
• I cannot have children because of Q62_1 My age
  Q62_2 I have had a vasectomy / hysterectomy
  Q62-3 Another medical condition Q62_4 My partner
  being unable / unwilling Q62_5 Another reason
  Q62_6 Prefer not to answer.
• to be adequately nourished
• BNOURISH (Q59)
• Do you eat fresh meat, chicken or fish at least
  twice a week?
• Yes/No BHPS
• If No
• Q60
• For which of the following reasons, if any, do
  you NOT eat fresh meat, chicken or fish at least
  twice a week? Please tick all that apply

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HEALTH STATUS

• Does your health in any way limit your daily
  activities compared to most people of your age?
• Yes, No. BHPS

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REPRODUCTION

• Are you able to have children? NEW
• Yes, No, Don't know, Prefer not to answer
• If no please indicate the reason(s) you are not
  able to have children
• I cannot have children because of
• Q62_1 My age
• Q62_2 I have had a vasectomy / hysterectomy
• Q62_3 Another medical condition
• Q62_4 My partner being unable / unwilling
• Q62_5 Another reason
• Q62_6 Prefer not to answer

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NOURISHMENT

• Do you eat fresh meat, chicken or fish at least
  twice a week?
• Yes/No BHPS with additions
• If No
• (Q60)
• For which of the following reasons, if any, do
  you NOT eat fresh meat, chicken or fish at least
  twice a week? Please tick all that apply
• I am vegetarian/vegan
• I cannot afford to
• I do not like eating fresh meat, chicken or fish
  that often
• I do not have time to prepare fresh food
• Some other reason

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ADEQUATE SHELTER

• BSHELTER (Q85)
• Is your current accommodation adequate or
  inadequate for your current needs?
• More than adequate, Adequate, Inadequate, Very
  inadequate
• BCANMOVE (Q86)
• Are you prevented from moving home for any
  reason?
• Yes, No
• If yes (Q87)
• What prevents you from moving home?
• Lack of money/finances
• The Council would be unlikely to re-house me
• Family responsibilities and/or schooling
• I could not move out of my current accommodation
  because of some other reason

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4 Types of Capability Indicators

• Type I. Opportunities
• Type 2. Abilities
• Type 3. Constraints
• Type 4. Functionings Reasons

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Analyses to date

• Sex/age differences links to happiness for all
  Capabilities
• Violent crime, gender inequalities, links to
  income, personality and life satisfaction Revue
  dEconomie Politique 2007
• Health as a determinant of capabilities

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Gender Differences
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Violent Crime, Gender Inequalities and Life
Satisfaction

• Data
• Past Experience/Future Expectations of domestic,
  sexual and other forms of assault
• Safety in local area during day and night
• Analysis/Results
• Describe experience and differences between sexes
• Correlations between all indicators
• Links between violence and life satisfaction
  fear predominates
• Some evidence of a resentment effect

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Health Capabilities and Quality of Life

• Data
• Does health limit your daily activities for your
  age
• All capabilities, life satisfaction and
  socio-economic covariates
• Analysis
• Capability differences by health status
• Capabilities as a function of health, income and
  personality (binary and ordered logit)
• Capability profiles as a function of health
  income and personality (latent class)

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OCAP Family of Capabilities Measurement Surveys
(May 2008)

• 2005 Main UK national survey (OCAP)
• 2007/8 Spanish version urban areas in Argentina
  (social policy)
• 2008 Short form public health and housing
  Glasgow
• 2008-12 Oxford mental health and coercion project
  just starting

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Conclusions/Next Steps

• Methods
• Capabilities can be measured according to
  household survey norms
• Some secondary data exists but can be extended
• Q design steps identified for capabilities
  framework
• Some econometric methods/issues
• Substantive Findings
• General age and sex heterogeneity in
  capabilities-satisfaction relation
• Identification of impact of physical risk
• Poverty and health limitations closely linked
• Suggestions/Future Directions
• Panel survey data would be advantageous
• Interesting sub-populations disabled,
  migrants, young, elderly
• Further themes employment and health in
  development, impact of ill-health on capabilities