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Beliefs About Racial Discrimination and Support for Pro-Black Policies

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  • Haaland, Ingar

    (Dept. of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration)

  • Roth, Christopher

    (Dept. of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration)

Abstract

We examine whether beliefs about racial discrimination causally affect support for pro-black policies. Using representative samples of Americans, we elicit quantitative and incentivized beliefs about the extent of labor market discrimination against blacks. 55 percent overestimate the extent of discrimination against blacks, and Republicans are 19 percentage points less likely than Democrats to overestimate discrimination. An information treatment substantially narrows Republican–Democrat differences in beliefs, but fails to narrow differences in political behavior. Overall, the results demonstrate that correcting biases in beliefs about the extent of racial discrimination is not sufficient to reduce political polarization in support for pro-black policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Haaland, Ingar & Roth, Christopher, 2019. "Beliefs About Racial Discrimination and Support for Pro-Black Policies," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 2/2019, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:nhheco:2019_002
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Racial discrimination; Beliefs; Pro-black Policies; Policy Preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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