Chiara Binelli and Matthew Loveless
Abstract: In 2015, the British Election Study replicated questions from the American National Election Study on citizens’ perceptions of changes in income inequality. Both surveys also elicited detailed information on party choices and media content and use. Using this unique comparative data opportunity, we estimate a comprehensive model of inequality perceptions controlling, for the first time, for all theorized determinants affecting how individuals perceive changes in inequality. We confirm the ideological polarization of political sophistication identified in the previous literature, and we uncover three key findings. Perceptions of inequality are primarily driven by negative normative orientations toward inequality, conservative parties provide cross-nationally consistent downward bias to inequality perceptions, and media outlets associated with liberal/conservative audiences are correlated with perceptions of rising/decreasing income inequality.