The selection of functionings and capabilities : A survey of empirical studies

This note aims to identify the criteria followed by empirical studies in the selection of relevant functionings and/or capabilities, and the indicators used for their measurement. We survey twenty quantitative empirical applications of the CA in welfare economics. Our survey shows that the criteria used by these studies fall within the range of: a) normative views b) quantitative methods, and c) surveys. These three categories overlap and are restricted by data availability.