Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP16805
Authors: Paola Bertoli; Veronica Grembi; Massimo Morelli; Anna Rosso
Abstract: This paper evaluates the effects of statistical information on preferences for redistribution of scarce public resources. We refer to scarce resource with reference to the COVID-19 emergency: allocation of the first round of vaccine and the allocation of financial resources provided by the Italian national government to fight the economic emergency triggered by the pandemic. Randomly allocating the information through an online experiment, we show that treated respondents tend to prioritize the group targeted by the information, and they are more likely to do so if they are "in the middle", in terms of age, political preferences, religiosity and education.
Keywords: sensitivity to information; beliefs update; scarce resources; distribution
JEL Codes: D70; D80; D83
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Provision of statistical information (C80) | Individual preferences for resource allocation (D10) |
| Statistical information about vulnerable groups (I32) | Prioritization of vulnerable groups in resource allocation decisions (I14) |
| Statistical information (C80) | Ranking of individuals with pre-existing health conditions higher for resource allocation (I14) |
| Treatment effect (C22) | Responsiveness to information among respondents with moderate beliefs (D83) |
| Statistical information (C80) | More equitable resource distribution preferences (D63) |