The impact of diversity on perceptions of income distribution and preferences for redistribution

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Londono-Velez, Juliana
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Los Angeles
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104732
• 发表日期: 2022
• 关键词: diversity; Perception of income distribution; INEQUALITY; Preferences for redistribution

摘要

Does diversity affect people's perceptions of income distribution and their preferences for redistribution? I leverage variation from a Colombian financial aid reform boosting the share of low-income students at an elite university. Combining college records and original survey data, I study how diversity affects high-income students' social networks, perceptions, and preferences by exploiting treatment variation across cohorts and majors using difference-in-differences. Exposure to low-income peers caused high-income students to diversify their social networks, have more accurate perceptions of the income distribution, and support progressive redistribution. My preferred interpretation is that diversity raised students' concerns about (the lack of) equal opportunity. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.