How perceptions of autonomy relate to beliefs about inequality and fairness

Although inequality in the US has increased since the 1960s, several studies show that Americans underestimate it. Reasons include overreliance on one's local perspective and ideologically-motivated cognition. We propose a novel mechanism to account for the misperceptions of income inequality. We hypothesize that compared to those who feel less autonomy, the people who believe they are autonomous and have control over their lives also believe that (1) income inequality is lower and (2) income inequality is more acceptable. Using a representative sample of 3,427 Americans, we find evidence to support these hypotheses.

Automated summary

Inequality in the US has worsened since the 1960s, but studies show that Americans underestimate it, possibly due to reliance on local perspectives and ideologically-driven cognition. Researchers propose a new mechanism suggesting that individuals who believe in autonomy and control over their lives are more likely to perceive income inequality as lower and more acceptable. Evidence from a sample of 3,427 Americans supports these hypotheses.