This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

What Does the Public Know about Economic Policy, and How Does It Know It?

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Blinder, Alan S. (Princeton University and NBER)
Krueger, Alan B. () (Princeton University, NBER and IZA Bonn)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

Public opinion influences politicians, and therefore influences public policy decisions. What are the roles of self-interest, knowledge, and ideology in public opinion formation? And how do people learn about economic issues? Using a new, specially-designed survey, we find that most respondents express a strong desire to be well informed on economic policy issues, and that television is their dominant source of information. On a variety of major policy issues (e.g., taxes, social security, health insurance), ideology is the most important determinant of public opinion, while measures of self-interest are the least important. Knowledge about the economy ranks somewhere in between.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: ftp://repec.iza.org/RePEc/Discussionpaper/dp1324.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1324.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length: 62 pages
Date of creation: Sep 2004
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1324

Contact details of provider:
Postal: IZA, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
Phone: +49 228 3894 223
Fax: +49 228 3894 180
Web page: http://www.iza.org

Order Information:
Postal: IZA, Margard Ody, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
Email:

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Mark Fallak).

Related research
Keywords: ideology; public opinion; knowledge;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Hansen, Karsten T. & Heckman, James J. & Mullen, Kathleen J., 2003. "The Effect of Schooling and Ability on Achievement Test Scores," IZA Discussion Papers 826, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 1997. "Political Economics and Macroeconomic Policy," CEPR Discussion Papers 1759, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Blendon, Robert J, et al, 1997. "Bridging the Gap between the Public's and Economists' Views of the Economy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 105-18, Summer. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Sendhil Mullainathan & Andrei Shleifer, 2005. "The Market for News," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(4), pages 1031-1053, September. [Downloadable!]
  5. Bryan Caplan, 2002. "Sociotropes, Systematic Bias, and Political Failure: Reflections on the Survey of Americans and Economists on the Economy," Social Science Quarterly, The Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(2), pages 416-435. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Victor R. Fuchs & Alan B. Krueger & James M. Poterba, 1998. "Economists' Views about Parameters, Values, and Policies: Survey Results in Labor and Public Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 1387-1425, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. David Romer, 2003. "Misconceptions and Political Outcomes," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(484), pages 1-20, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Dan Fuller & Doris Geide-Stevenson, 2003. "Consensus Among Economists: Revisited," Journal of Economic Education, Helen Dwight Reid Foundation, vol. 34(4), pages 369-387. [Downloadable!]
  9. Blinder, Alan S & Morgan, John, 2005. "Are Two Heads Better than One? Monetary Policy by Committee," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 37(5), pages 789-811, October.
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Luciano Fanti & Luca Gori, 2008. "Longevity and PAYG pension systems sustainability," Economics Bulletin, Economics Bulletin, vol. 10(2), pages 1-8. [Downloadable!]
  2. Tito Boeri & Guido Tabellini, 2005. "Does Information Increase Political Support for Pension Reform?," Levine's Working Paper Archive 784828000000000244, David K. Levine. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Nathaniel Wilcox, 2004. "Believing in Economic Theory: Sex, Lies, Evidence, Trust and Ideology," Working Papers 2004-06 Classification-, Department of Economics, University of Houston. [Downloadable!]
  4. Michael E. S. Hoffman, 2005. "Politico-Economic Determinants of American Trade Policy Attitudes," International Trade 0510017, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  5. Roberto Luis Olinto Ramos & Lisbeth Rivas & Gonzalo C. Pastor, 2008. "Latin America: Highlights from the Implementation of the System of National Accounts 1993 (1993 SNA)," IMF Working Papers 08/239, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  6. Mark Doms & Norman Morin, 2004. "Consumer sentiment, the economy, and the news media," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2004-51, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Maurizio Bovi, 2006. "Consumers Sentiment and Cognitive Macroeconometrics Paradoxes and Explanations," ISAE Working Papers 66, ISAE - Institute for Studies and Economic Analyses - (Rome, ITALY). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Anderberg, Dan & Chevalier, Arnaud & Wadsworth, Jonathan, 2008. "Anatomy of a Health Scare: Education, Income and the MMR Controversy in the UK," IZA Discussion Papers 3590, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Mohl, Philipp & Heinemann, Friedrich & Osterloh, Steffen, 2008. "Who's afraid of an EU tax and why? : revenue system preferences in the European Parliament," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-027, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  10. Thomas Maag & Michael J. Lamla, 2009. "The Role of Media for Inflation Forecast Disagreement of Households and Professionals," Working papers 09-223, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich. [Downloadable!]
  11. Lena Vogel & Jan-Oliver Menz & Ulrich Fritsche, 2009. "Prospect Theory and Inflation Perceptions - An Empirical Assessment," Macroeconomics and Finance Series 200903, Hamburg University, Department Wirtschaft und Politik. [Downloadable!]
  12. Lynch, Lisa M., 2005. "Job Loss: Bridging the Research and Policy Discussion," IZA Discussion Papers 1518, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Andrew Leigh, 2004. "Does the World Economy Swing National Elections?," CEPR Discussion Papers 485, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? IDEAS was launched in September 1997.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-9.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.