An Experimental Test of the Validity of Survey-Measured Political Ideology

Arbeitspapier

We examine the predictive validity of survey-measured left-right political ideology by testing whether this measure is able to explain observed choices regarding equality versus efficiency. We study this in a real-effort distribution experiment, in which decision-makers allocate money equally or efficiently. We distinguish between decision-makers that receive ‘manna-from-heaven’ and decision-makers that have earned the money to be distributed in a real effort task. We find that, conditional on entitlement concerns, self-reported right-wing ideology significantly predicts preferences for efficiency. Reported left-wing ideology does not have predictive value in explaining preferences for equality.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 7139

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Design of Experiments: Laboratory, Individual ; Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions
• Subject: political ideology ; survey measurement ; predictive validity ; distribution experiment ; real effort

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Laméris, Maite D. ; Jong-A-Pin, Richard ; Wiese, Rasmus
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2018

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/181339
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET