When Self‐Interest Matters

Abstract

The relative influence of self-interest and values on policy preferences was assessed experimentally in a national survey that posed questions about three contemporary political issues-Social Security reform, the home mortgage interest tax deduction, and health care benefits for domestic partners. For each issue, respondents were randomly assigned to one of three priming conditions that influenced the frame of reference for their policy evaluations. The results show that people are more likely to recognize their own self-interest, and to act upon it, when their stakes in the policy are clear or when they have been primed to think about the personal costs and benefits of the policy. This relationship is somewhat weakened but not eliminated when sociotropic considerations are primed. People with a smaller stake in an issue are less likely to choose on the basis of self-interest and more likely to be influenced by their values and symbolic predispositions, especially when exposed to information that cues sociotropic concerns, group identifications, or value orientations.

Here or there? Consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility initiatives: Egocentric tendencies and their moderators

“…As in previous research (Chong et al 2001;Transue 2007), identity salience was manipulated by measuring, and therefore priming, identification with either a subgroup identity or a superordinate identity at the onset of the study.…”

Explaining Opposition to Turkish Membership of the EU

“…In some cases, it is only when respondents are prompted to think about a particular issue within the context of their own circumstances that personal self-interest translates into support for or opposition to a policy (Chong et al, 2001;Sears and Lau, 1983). This is likely also to be true in the case of perceptions of the Turkish EU candidacy.…”

Paro y voto: ¿afecta al voto la experiencia de desempleo?

“…(3) Aunque se debe tener en cuenta que la mayoría de los estudios que han dado sustento empírico a estas tesis se refieren a Estados Unidos, en cuya cultura política tienen un especial predominio las orientaciones económicas individualistas (Feldman, 1982); que algunos de ellos han encontrado que bajo determinadas condiciones (información adecuada, «apuestas altas», inmediatez temporal; prioridad del tema en la agenda personal) y en ciertos contextos (situación material adversa) la relevancia política de las motivaciones autointeresadas es mayor (Chong et al, 2001;Kumlin, 2004;Lau y Heldman, 2009;Hunt et al, 2010;Young et al, 1987); y que el voto sociotrópico es compatible con una orientación egoísta, pues la clave de la distinción sociotrópico/egocéntrico es la información relevante y el objeto al que ésta se refiere, no la motivación de la acción (Kiewiet y Lewis-Beck, 2011).…”