Hierarchical trend modeling of preferences on welfare needs

Novel quantitative methods are proposed for analyzing trends in preferences in the area of welfare needs. The methods of structural analysis are used to analyze the trends revealed by the third poll on preferences in national life in Japan, which is a nationwide survey on welfare needs conducted in 1978. Two kinds of structural models are constructed: one is a hierarchical model that ranks welfare needs according to levels of preference; the other presents the trend of people's interests toward higher needs when basic needs are satisfied.