Question

Suppose that the price of chicken rises sharply compared to the price of turkey. In response, consumers buy more turkey and less chicken than they did in the CPI base year. In this situation the CPI will tend to ______ inflation as a result of ______ bias.
A.overstate; substitution
B.understate; substitution
C.accurately measure; substitution
D.overstate; quality adjustment

Answer 1

Answer:

A.overstate; substitution

Explanation:

Consumer Price Index (CPI): is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. It is calculated by taking the average of the price changes for each item in the predetermined  goods. Changes in the CPI are used to assess price changes associated with the cost of living therefore the CPI is used economist for identifying periods of inflation or deflation.

when we say the CPI overstate inflation; it is because of:

Substitution bias (when the price of a product in the consumer basket increases substantially, consumers tend to substitute lower-priced alternatives; Therefore, it tends to overstate inflation due to a lack of accountability ) and;

Quality bias (over time, technological advances increase the life and usefulness of products).