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4.4.2 Secondary Data
Data from secondary sources can be valuable in developing models of human
behavior and adaptation. Economic and demographic data collected from secondary
sources, such as data collected as part of a national census or from government
agencies like the USA Department of Agriculture (USDA), can be used to inform
and test models of human behavior and capture trends in how people respond to
changes in their social and natural environments. Often, secondary data can be
used to complement primary data collection such as surveys and experiments discussed above.
Using data from secondary sources has several advantages. These data are often
readily available at no or little cost to researchers. Data from these sources are often
collected from a population over a long time period, enabling researchers to analyze
trends in human behavior and adaptation. For example, census data can be used to
study population movements in response to increased flood risk in coastal areas
over time. The USDA collects yearly data on the crops produced in the USA, allowing researchers to study how farmers’ crop mix and land use has changed over time.
Secondary data often has some advantages over primary data in that it is much
more readily available and can often be collected for an entire population, e.g., all
households living within a region. As we discuss below, larger numbers of observations enable statistical models with more power and a greater opportunity for identifying a significant relationship that may be a key parameter governing FEW
system dynamics.
While data from secondary sources is a valuable resource in studying how people
behave and adapt to changing environmental or economic conditions, users of these
data are limited by the data collection strategies of these agencies or organizations.
If answers to particular questions are needed, researchers may have to adapt their
research questions and approach to fit the data available to them or collect data from
the particular populations of interest themselves. Secondary data sources that contain measures of psychological constructs, such as values, attitudes, and beliefs, are
also much more difficult to come by (as opposed to sociodemographic or economic
variables; see The World Values Survey (Inglehart et al. 2014), for an example).
4.4.3 Using Data in Decision-Making Models for FEW
Systems
Data on human behavior and adaptation are necessary to empirically specify the
underlying decision-making process or rules that are hypothesized to determine
behavioral outcomes. Once specified, these decision-making rules can be incorporated into FEW systems models to understand the implications of these decisions
for FEW systems and management of these systems. There are several ways in
which data may be used to specify these decision-making rules and the different
M. Doidge et al.
4.4.2 Secondary Data
Data from secondary sources can be valuable in developing models of human
behavior and adaptation. Economic and demographic data collected from secondary
sources, such as data collected as part of a national census or from government
agencies like the USA Department of Agriculture (USDA), can be used to inform
and test models of human behavior and capture trends in how people respond to
changes in their social and natural environments. Often, secondary data can be
used to complement primary data collection such as surveys and experiments discussed above.
Using data from secondary sources has several advantages. These data are often
readily available at no or little cost to researchers. Data from these sources are often
collected from a population over a long time period, enabling researchers to analyze
trends in human behavior and adaptation. For example, census data can be used to
study population movements in response to increased flood risk in coastal areas
over time. The USDA collects yearly data on the crops produced in the USA, allowing researchers to study how farmers’ crop mix and land use has changed over time.
Secondary data often has some advantages over primary data in that it is much
more readily available and can often be collected for an entire population, e.g., all
households living within a region. As we discuss below, larger numbers of observations enable statistical models with more power and a greater opportunity for identifying a significant relationship that may be a key parameter governing FEW
system dynamics.
While data from secondary sources is a valuable resource in studying how people
behave and adapt to changing environmental or economic conditions, users of these
data are limited by the data collection strategies of these agencies or organizations.
If answers to particular questions are needed, researchers may have to adapt their
research questions and approach to fit the data available to them or collect data from
the particular populations of interest themselves. Secondary data sources that contain measures of psychological constructs, such as values, attitudes, and beliefs, are
also much more difficult to come by (as opposed to sociodemographic or economic
variables; see The World Values Survey (Inglehart et al. 2014), for an example).
4.4.3 Using Data in Decision-Making Models for FEW
Systems
Data on human behavior and adaptation are necessary to empirically specify the
underlying decision-making process or rules that are hypothesized to determine
behavioral outcomes. Once specified, these decision-making rules can be incorporated into FEW systems models to understand the implications of these decisions
for FEW systems and management of these systems. There are several ways in
which data may be used to specify these decision-making rules and the different
M. Doidge et al.