Survey evidence of tighter credit conditions: what does it mean?

Since early 1990, the results of the Federal Reserve Board's Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices have been cited frequently as an indicator of general credit availability. Results from the Board's survey suggest that a considerable share of respondent banks were tightening their lending standards during 1990 and early 1991. How should these results be interpreted? This article attempts to answer this question by addressing the nature of the survey, examining the recent responses more closely and comparing recent results to past results.