Who Does Not Respond in the Household Expenditure Survey

A nonparametric multiple regression method, based on the extended Gini that depends on one parameter, v, is investigated. The parameter v enables production of infinite alternative linear approximations to the regression curve which differ in the weighting schemes applied to the slopes of the curve. The method allows the investigator to stress different sections of one independent variable while keeping the treatment of the other independent variables intact. As an application we investigate nonresponse patterns in a survey of household expenditures to learn about the relationship between nonresponse and income. The empirical results show that the higher the income, the higher the response rate, and the larger the household, the higher the response rate. The Arab population tends to respond more than the Jewish one, whereas the ultrareligious group tends to respond less than the rest of the population. The implications on the bias in the estimates are discussed.