The Importance of Representing Economic Inequality Saliently and to Scale release_pcj2ecull5h6pgwpeybjpeh2uy

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> Economic inequality is detrimental to modern societies, but support for redistributive policies tends to be low. Recent research has suggested that drawing individuals' attention towards a group of wealthy individuals (vs. a single wealthy individual) can increase support for redistribution. However, a central prerequisite of such an argument is that individuals can actively comprehend the abstract size and difference in wealth between themselves and the wealthiest ones. Here, we propose that visualizing extreme wealth differences saliently can alter this effect, such that people increase support for redistribution, irrespective of whether this concerns a wealthy individual or a group of wealthy individuals. In a preregistered, nationally representative study across the U.S. (<jats:italic>n </jats:italic>= 1462), we find that representing economic inequality saliently and to scale, make individuals equally as likely to support redistributive policies irrespective of whether this concerns an individual or a group. Our findings provide clear suggestions for policy-making.
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