Lives or Livelihoods? Perceived Trade-Offs and Policy Views

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Settele, Sonja; Shupe, Cortnie
• 署名单位: University of Copenhagen
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1093/ej/ueab077
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 1150-1178
• 关键词: sacred values; interventions; preferences

摘要

We study the role of perceived trade-offs between human lives and economic benefits in shaping policy views. In an online experiment with a representative sample from the United States conducted during the early Covid-19 pandemic, we provide randomised information on the medium-run costs of restricting economic activity to mitigate infections. A one standard deviation lower perceived economic cost of lockdowns increases support by about twice as much as having a Covid at-risk condition, and by half as much as being a Democrat. Varying projected health benefits has a similar effect. Personal exposure to health risks reduces people's responsiveness to cost-benefit considerations.