Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information. / Olsen, Asmus Leth.

In: Public Administration Review, Vol. 77, No. 3, 01.05.2017, p. 408-420.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Olsen, AL 2017, 'Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information', Public Administration Review, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 408-420. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12638

APA

Olsen, A. L. (2017). Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information. Public Administration Review, 77(3), 408-420. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12638

Vancouver

Olsen AL. Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information. Public Administration Review. 2017 May 1;77(3):408-420. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12638

Author

Olsen, Asmus Leth. / Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information. In: Public Administration Review. 2017 ; Vol. 77, No. 3. pp. 408-420.

Bibtex

@article{3009cbdfbfab4aa8be876fe0b6626638,
title = "Human Interest or Hard Numbers?: Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information",
abstract = "The abundance of quantitative performance information has motivated multiple studies about how citizens make sense of “hard” performance data. However, research in psychology emphasizes that episodic information (e.g., case stories) often leaves a greater mark on citizens. This contradiction is tested using multiple experiments embedded in a large, nationally representative sample of Danish citizens. The results stress three differences between statistical and episodic data. Citizens have strong preferences for statistical data when asked to evaluate an organization. However, episodic information has in some instances a stronger impact on citizens{\textquoteright} evaluations of an organization and often is more emotionally engaging than statistics. Finally, when asked to immediately recall recent performance information about public services, citizens report more elaborate information about personalized stories and experiences than about statistics. Overall, the results raise questions about the ability of hard performance data to dominate and crowd out episodic performance information.",
author = "Olsen, {Asmus Leth}",
year = "2017",
month = may,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1111/puar.12638",
language = "English",
volume = "77",
pages = "408--420",
journal = "Public Administration Review",
issn = "0033-3352",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Human Interest or Hard Numbers?

T2 - Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information

AU - Olsen, Asmus Leth

PY - 2017/5/1

Y1 - 2017/5/1

N2 - The abundance of quantitative performance information has motivated multiple studies about how citizens make sense of “hard” performance data. However, research in psychology emphasizes that episodic information (e.g., case stories) often leaves a greater mark on citizens. This contradiction is tested using multiple experiments embedded in a large, nationally representative sample of Danish citizens. The results stress three differences between statistical and episodic data. Citizens have strong preferences for statistical data when asked to evaluate an organization. However, episodic information has in some instances a stronger impact on citizens’ evaluations of an organization and often is more emotionally engaging than statistics. Finally, when asked to immediately recall recent performance information about public services, citizens report more elaborate information about personalized stories and experiences than about statistics. Overall, the results raise questions about the ability of hard performance data to dominate and crowd out episodic performance information.

AB - The abundance of quantitative performance information has motivated multiple studies about how citizens make sense of “hard” performance data. However, research in psychology emphasizes that episodic information (e.g., case stories) often leaves a greater mark on citizens. This contradiction is tested using multiple experiments embedded in a large, nationally representative sample of Danish citizens. The results stress three differences between statistical and episodic data. Citizens have strong preferences for statistical data when asked to evaluate an organization. However, episodic information has in some instances a stronger impact on citizens’ evaluations of an organization and often is more emotionally engaging than statistics. Finally, when asked to immediately recall recent performance information about public services, citizens report more elaborate information about personalized stories and experiences than about statistics. Overall, the results raise questions about the ability of hard performance data to dominate and crowd out episodic performance information.

U2 - 10.1111/puar.12638

DO - 10.1111/puar.12638

M3 - Journal article

VL - 77

SP - 408

EP - 420

JO - Public Administration Review

JF - Public Administration Review

SN - 0033-3352

IS - 3

ER -

ID: 173628498