Policy Feedback Effects on Mass Publics: A Quantitative Review

Abstract

There has been an impressive stride in the research on policy feedback effects on mass publics over recent years. However, we lack systematic evidence on how large such policy feedback effects are in the literature. This article provides a review of 65 published studies and quantifies the findings and key themes in the policy feedback literature. The results show a great degree of heterogeneity in the domains and outcomes being studied and in the effects of policies on the public. In line with the findings from narrative reviews, feedback effects are greater for outcomes related to political participation and engagement. Last, the review sheds light on important theoretical and methodological limitations to be addressed in future research.

Varieties of Policy Feedback Research: Looking Backward, Moving Forward

“…He finds that a majority of the outcomes focus on policy attitudes or patterns of political engagement, but that the focus varies by policy domain: studies of social policies attend to attitudes, whereas education studies attend to political participation. Furthermore, “a majority of effect estimates are insignificant at the 0.05 level” (Larsen, , p. 14) and effect sizes are modest, although greater for political participation than for attitudes (pp. 15, 16).…”

“…While the direction of the policy feedback effects was not always clearly specified in the studies, when direction was specified it was often positive for social policy attitudes (Larsen, , p. 17). Larsen () concludes by encouraging scholars to focus on the following questions, “First, and most important to be asked in future research, why do policies often have no feedback effects? Second, when do policies have positive and negative feedback effects?…”

“…Second, when do policies have positive and negative feedback effects? Third, what dynamics in the public interact with policies in creating policy feedback effects?” (Larsen, , p. 18). Finally, these questions should be addressed using data with temporal variation (in contrast to most empirical studies that rely on cross‐sectional data) (Larsen, , p. 5).…”

“…While the mechanism in play for the general public may be direct experience and learning, for targeted populations, and, more specifically for addicts, it is more likely to be cue avoidance and personal welfare improvements (Vanonni, 2019). Larsen (2019) concludes this selection of articles that empirically test for feedback effects on elites, target populations, and mass publics, with a carefully executed, systematic review and analysis of the quantitative policy feedback literature. Larsen (2019) explores four themes, the types and sizes of feedback effects; whether feedback effects are reinforcing or undermining; how the proximity of policies to the public is represented; and the contextual and conditional nature of feedback effects.…”

How social policy impacts inequalities in political efficacy

“…Not only do citizens' votes influence who gets elected and which policies are subsequently implemented, but policies themselves can shape citizens' policy preferences, how they think about government and democracy, and even their likelihood of future political involvement. While the policy feedback literature has expanded rapidly over the past years (Campbell, 2012;Larsen, 2018;Ziller, 2019), the idea that public policy can play an important role in shaping patterns of political engagement is by no means a new one. Schattschneider (1935) can be considered as one of the forerunners to the policy feedback approach and is frequently referenced for his idea that "new policies create new politics."…”