Impact of income position information on perceived tax burden and preference for redistribution: An online survey

Abstract Many experimental studies have assessed the relationship between the provision of information on relative income and redistribution preferences. However, the influence of information on perceived tax burden, which is considered a subjective cost of redistribution, has not been examined. This study investigates how individuals' relative income positions influence their income redistribution preferences and individual perceptions of the income tax burden. This study was conducted using a customized online survey. First, I asked respondents about their perceived income position in their country, redistribution preference and perceived tax burden. In the follow‐up survey, I provided the treatment group with information on their true income positions based on the same questions as in the first survey. However, for the control group, I did not disclose their true income positions but asked them the same questions. The key findings suggest that, after learning their real income positions: (i) individuals who overestimated their income positions perceived their tax burden as higher, (ii) individuals' redistribution preferences had hardly changed and (iii) reciprocal individuals (who accounted for the largest proportion) perceived their tax burden as lower and were less likely to prefer redistribution.