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Experience of social mobility and support for redistribution: Beating the odds or blaming the system?

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  • Weber, Nina Sophie

Abstract

How does the experience of social mobility affect people's distributive preferences? Using cross-country survey data and a survey experiment, I examine the effects of experienced social mobility on support for redistribution. The results indicate an asymmetric relationship - experiencing downward mobility increases support for redistribution while experiencing upward mobility does not affect distributive preferences. In line with a common attribution bias, the self-serving bias, those with negative mobility experiences 'blame the system' and extrapolate from their negative experience onto society at large, which increases their demand for redistribution. Conversely, those who experienced positive mobility believe they `beat the odds' and do not extrapolate from their experience onto perceptions of societal mobility, leading to no less support for redistribution. This finding suggests significant implications at the aggregate and a potential demand-side explanation for the Great Gatsby Curve: As overall absolute mobility decreases (increases), ceteris paribus, demand for redistribution also decreases (increases).

Suggested Citation

  • Weber, Nina Sophie, 2021. "Experience of social mobility and support for redistribution: Beating the odds or blaming the system?," SocArXiv c35z9_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:c35z9_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/c35z9_v1
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