We Spend How Much? Misperceptions, Innumeracy, and Support for the Foreign Aid in the United States and Great Britain

Bibliographic Data

ID13015759
AuthorsThomas J Scotto (0000-0003-4801-6821, University of Strathclyde, corresponding author), Jason Reifler (0000-0002-1116-7346, University of Exeter), David Hudson (0000-0001-8020-1870, University of Birmingham), Jennifer Vanheerde‐hudson (University College London)
Year2017
Volume4
Issue2
Pages119-128
Publication date2017-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Experimental Political Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2052-2630 • E-ISSN: 2052-2649
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/xps.2017.6
OpenAlexW2754343868
LanguageEN
Citations received28
References cited21

Majorities of citizens in high-income countries often oppose foreign aid spending. One popular explanation is that the public overestimates the percentage and amount of taxpayer funds that goes toward overseas aid. Does expressing aid flows in dollar and/or percentage terms shift public opinion toward aid? We report the results of an experiment examining differences in support for aid spending as a function of the information American and British respondents receive about foreign aid spending. In both nations, providing respondents with information about foreign aid spending as a percentage of the national budget significantly reduces support for cuts. The findings suggest that support for aid can be increased, but significant opposition to aid spending remains

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