| By: |
Lepinteur, Anthony (University of Luxembourg);
Powdthavee, Nattavudh (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore) |
| Abstract: |
People often misjudge what others need to live well. We introduce and measure
well-being norms - the income people believe others require for a good life -
and show that these beliefs are systematically underestimated. In a
preregistered U.S. survey, 85–86% of respondents reported thresholds below
what others say they themselves need. Two randomized survey experiments
corrected these misperceptions. Respondents updated their beliefs
considerably, yet support for redistribution and donation behavior remained
unchanged. This null average effect, however, masks substantial heterogeneity.
Among those who found the information credible and personally relevant, we
observe redistribution support increasing by approximately 20% of a standard
deviation, especially when the information referred to low-income families
rather than the average American. Among those who dismissed it, we observe
support decreasing by similar magnitudes - a pattern consistent with motivated
reasoning and backlash. The main insight is that belief updating alone does
not, on average, change policy preferences. Information influences
redistribution attitudes only when perceived as morally important and
legitimate. |
| Keywords: |
information treatments, beliefs, inequality, keyword2, keyword1, redistribution preferences, income, subjective well-being |
| JEL: |
D31 D63 H23 H24 I31 |
| Date: |
2025–12 |
| URL: |
https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18296 |