Researchers Gregory A. Porumbescu, Stephanie Walsh, and Andrea Hetling have conducted a study examining the impact of reducing learning costs on public support for means-tested benefit programs, specifically focusing on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the United States. The study explores how altering the structure of information about SNAP's application process and eligibility requirements can influence public attitudes towards the program and its beneficiaries.
The researchers integrate educational psychology with policy feedback theory to predict that changes in how information is presented could affect learning costs and subsequently public perceptions. To test these predictions, they conducted a preregistered dose-response survey experiment where participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or one of three treatment groups. Each group was exposed to varying structures of SNAP information.
Findings from this study indicate that improving the structure of SNAP information reduces learning costs, which in turn enhances public support and perceptions of deservingness for program beneficiaries. The authors discuss potential implications for both theoretical frameworks and practical applications.
