Learning from contact with poorer (richer) others? Perceived unfairness, prospect of upward mobility, and preferences for taxing the rich

Key Points

• Higher perceived unfairness correlates with a stronger preference for taxing the rich.
• The potential for upward mobility influences preferences for economic distribution measures.
• Socioeconomic interactions play a critical role in shaping individuals' tax preferences.
• Understanding these factors may enable policymakers to address inequities in taxation.