Combatting Misperceptions of Wealth Inequality

• In Event: Information & Views of Minoritized Groups

Abstract

Racial disparities in wealth lead to unequal access to opportunities in the U.S., yet many Americans are largely unaware of these gaps and vastly underestimate their size. In this study, we investigate how Black/White and Hispanic/White wealth gaps are (mis)understood by Americans and test potential interventions to correct these misperceptions. We specifically examine the conditions under which individuals update their misperceptions about racial wealth inequality and the downstream attitudinal and policy preference consequences of these changes. We test two interventions designed to correct misperceptions about the racial wealth gap—(1) providing numerical information stating the actual wealth gap size alongside the participant’s estimate of its size; (2) providing this numerical information plus explaining the historical context contributing to racial wealth gaps (e.g. redlining, the racially exclusionary implementation of the G.I. Bill)—in a national survey experiment of American adults (n=2,646). We find that being exposed to the intervention including historical context increases Americans’ interest in taking actions against racial disparities in wealth and support for equalizing policies. These effects are especially strong among Republican participants assessing the Black/White wealth gap. Moreover, we find these shifts are driven by heightened structural attributions for racial disparities in wealth and, to a lesser extent, by an increased belief that Black and Hispanic Americans face discrimination. This study adds to a growing body of work aimed at combatting misinformation about racial wealth inequalities by identifying an effective strategy for increasing public support for wealth-equalizing interventions.

Authors

• Lauren Valentino, University of North Carolina

• Nicole Yadon, Ohio State University