Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/331614 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 12148
Publisher: 
Munich Society for the Promotion of Economic Research - CESifo GmbH, Munich
Abstract: 
Perceptions about students' responsibility for their success might have crucial implications for public approval of targeted financial support. Using a survey experiment among the German adult population, we find that information about the correlation of education outcomes and parental background strongly increases the perception that circumstances determine educational success. These effects persist in a follow-up survey conducted two weeks later. Information also significantly increases private donations to charities supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds but does not affect demand for governmental redistributive education spending. This pattern is consistent with differences in perceived opportunity costs of funds used in both spending decisions.
Subjects: 
circumstances
effort
information
survey experiment
charitable donations
equality of opportunity
policy preferences
JEL: 
I24
H52
H11
D83
D63
D64
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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