Survey Experiments in Public Policy: A Systematic Literature Review

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review examines population‐based survey experiments (PBSE) in public policy, analyzing 36 peer‐reviewed articles from Web of Science and Scopus databases. Based on PBSE methodological literature and the review, four main types of PBSE are distinguished: methodological, direct (based on information provision), indirect (based on priming and framing), and factorial. The paper reviews the usage and main findings of PBSE in five policy domains: education, health, anti‐crime, pension, and social policies. The main strengths, challenges, and “best practices” of PBSE relevant to policy scholars are summarized. The paper concludes with implications for future research.