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Why wealthier people think people are wealthier, and why it matters: From social sampling to redistributive attitudes

Dawtry, Rael J., Sutton, Robbie M., Sibley, Chris G. (2015) Why wealthier people think people are wealthier, and why it matters: From social sampling to redistributive attitudes. Psychological Science, 26 (9). pp. 1389-1400. ISSN 0956-7976. E-ISSN 1467-9280. (doi:10.1177/0956797615586560) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:48183)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615586560

Abstract

Two studies provide evidence that social sampling processes (Galesic, Olsson & Reiskamp, 2012) lead wealthier people to oppose redistributive policies. In samples of American Internet users, wealthier participants reported higher levels of wealth in their social circles (Studies 1a, 1b). This was associated, in turn, with estimates of higher mean wealth in the wider US population, greater perceived fairness of the economic status quo, and opposition to redistributive policies. Furthermore, results from a large-scale nationally representative New Zealand survey revealed that low levels of neighbourhood-level socioeconomic deprivation –an objective index of wealth within participants’ social circles – mediated the relation between income and satisfaction with the economic status quo (Study 2). These findings held controlling for relevant variables including political orientation and perceived self-interest. Social-structural inequalities appear to combine with social sampling processes to shape the different political attitudes of wealthier and poorer people.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/0956797615586560
Uncontrolled keywords: social sampling, inequality, political orientation, redistribution, attitudes, income, political psychology
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Robbie Sutton
Date Deposited: 05 May 2015 14:32 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 10:58 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/48183 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Dawtry, Rael J..

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Sutton, Robbie M..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1542-1716
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