Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/336593 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
Discussion Paper No. 543
Publisher: 
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München und Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Collaborative Research Center Transregio 190 - Rationality and Competition, München und Berlin
Abstract: 
Perceptions about students' personal responsibility for their own 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 external 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 socio-economic backgrounds but does not affect demand for redistributive education spending by the government. This pattern of results is consistent with differences in the 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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