Reducing economic inequality is 'just right': Moral conviction predicts support for redistributive government policies

Individuals may support economic redistribution because of practical considerations, but also because they perceive it as morally necessary according to their personal ethical beliefs. Across three studies, we investigated whether attitudes towards reducing economic inequality can be experienced with moral conviction (i.e. perceived as rooted in one's core beliefs about right and wrong) and motivate support for redistributive government policies. In Study 1 (N = 138), reducing economic inequality moral conviction scores were comparable to other highly moralized topics (e.g. euthanasia) and higher than lowly moralized topics (e.g. tattoos). In Study 2 (N = 325) and Study 3 (N = 271), the moral conviction for reducing economic inequality positively predicted support for several redistributive government policies. Additionally, while empathic concern (Study 2 and 3) provided mixed results, structural causal attributions (Study 3) mediated this effect. Therefore, our findings highlight the importance of personal moral significance in understanding what motivates support for redistributive policies.

Automated summary

Individuals may support economic redistribution out of practical considerations and moral beliefs. Three studies demonstrate that attitudes towards reducing economic inequality can be rooted in moral conviction and motivate support for redistributive government policies. The findings show that moral conviction for reducing economic inequality is comparable to highly moralized topics and higher than lowly moralized topics. Moreover, moral conviction positively predicts support for redistributive policies and this effect is mediated by structural causal attributions.