Can Conservatives Be Persuaded? Framing Effects on Support for Universal Basic Income in the US

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Economics
• Sociology

Background:

• Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a proposed policy for technological unemployment and inequality.
• Conservative opposition to UBI in Europe and the US is notably high.
• Ideological framing may influence public opinion on welfare policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if framing UBI within conservative ideology can overcome opposition.
• To examine the impact of 'equalizing-opportunity' and 'limiting-government' frames on conservative attitudes.
• To understand the rigidity of welfare attitudes among American conservatives.

Main Methods:

• Original survey experiment with American conservatives.
• Randomized exposure to two distinct UBI frames: 'equalizing-opportunity' and 'limiting-government'.
• Analysis of open-ended responses to assess attitudinal consistency.

Main Results:

• American conservatives remained strongly opposed to UBI regardless of framing.
• Framing UBI with conservative ideals like individualism and limited government did not alter opposition.
• Explanations for UBI opposition were consistent across framing conditions.

Conclusions:

• Framing UBI to align with conservative predispositions is politically infeasible.
• Welfare attitudes among American conservatives demonstrate significant rigidity.
• The study highlights challenges in promoting UBI among conservative populations.