The Effects of Wage Information on Support for Redistributive Spending
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6180179 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Esther Thorson (0000-0002-6514-801X, Syracuse University, corresponding author), Emily Thorson, Kris-Stella Trump (0000-0001-6645-3473, Johns Hopkins University) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 381-388 |
| Publication date | 2024-07-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Politics Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1532-673X • E-ISSN: 1552-3373 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1532673x241254375 |
| OpenAlex | W4397039897 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
Public support for redistributive policies (e.g., Medicaid) depends in part on the perceived need and deservingness of beneficiaries. However, the average citizen is not well informed about the economic conditions of their fellow citizens. In this article, we explore how information about average earnings of the working poor (a group generally seen as deserving) influences support for redistributive spending. Two survey experiments test whether support for such spending is affected by information about the average incomes of low-wage occupations (e.g., home health aides and retail sales workers). We additionally explore potential mechanisms for this effect, including empathy. An exploratory study finds an effect, but a pre-registered confirmatory study yields substantively small findings with inconsistent significance. Even when participants both receive detailed information about low-wage occupations’ salaries and are encouraged to recall people who they know in those jobs, the treatment has no substantial effect. Given the strength of this treatment and the lack of consistent effects, we conclude that interventions providing information about low-income salaries (e.g., in news coverage or interpersonal conversation) are unlikely to have a substantive effect on support for redistribution
Economics · Labour economics · Public economics · Wage · Financial Literacy, Pension, Retirement Analysis · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Social Policy and Reform Studies
The undeserving poor
Support for the American welfare state
Advantaged Group's Emotional Reactions to Intergroup Inequality
What do Americans know about inequality? It depends on how you ask them
Class Attitudes in America
Why Are Relatively Poor People Not More Supportive of Redistribution? Evidence from a Randomized Survey Experiment across Ten Countries
How Elastic Are Preferences for Redistribution? Evidence from Randomized Survey Experiments
Misperceiving inequality
Richer (and Holier) Than Thou? The Effect of Relative Income Improvements on Demand for Redistribution
The consequences of political innumeracy
Using Empathy to Improve Intergroup Attitudes and Relations
Development and validation of the single item trait empathy scale (Sites)
Group Loyalty and the Taste for Redistribution
Facts in Context
Deservingness versus values in public opinion on welfare
Economic Inequality, the Working Poor, and Belief in the American Dream
Who Deserves Help? Evolutionary Psychology, Social Emotions, and Public Opinion about Welfare
Self‐Reliance and Empathy
Asking About Numbers
Learning More from Political Communication Experiments
How Getting the Facts Right Can Fuel Partisan‐Motivated Reasoning
Source Cues, Partisan Identities, and Political Value Expression
Conceptual Replication of Four Key Findings about Factual Corrections and Misinformation during the 2020 US Election
Income Inequality Influences Perceptions of Legitimate Income Differences
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |