How Research Affects Policy: Experimental Evidence from 2,150 Brazilian Municipalities

Abstract

Can research findings change political leaders’ beliefs and policies? We use experiments with 2,150 Brazilian municipalities to measure mayors’ demand for and response to research information. In one experiment, we find that mayors are willing to pay to learn the results of evaluation studies, and update their beliefs when informed of the findings. They value larger-sample studies more, while not distinguishing between studies in rich and poor countries. In a second experiment, we find that informing mayors about research on a simple and effective policy, taxpayer reminder letters, increases the probability the policy is implemented by 10 percentage points. (JEL D72, D78, D83, O17, O18)

Transparency and Policy Competition: Experimental Evidence from German Citizens and Politicians

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Activating an evidence-based identity increases the impact of evidence on policymaker beliefs about local climate policies

“…Zelizer (2018) randomly assigned policy briefings for staffers in a U.S. state legislature and those briefings increased bill co-sponsorship 60% above baseline rates on relevant legislation. In an experiment with 2,150 Brazilian municipalities, Hjort et al (2021) found that providing information on the efficacy of taxpayer reminder letters increased actual uptake of the policy by 10%.…”

Partisanship and science advice: Do the right prefer economists and the left social scientists?

“…Additionally, research on decision making and motivated reasoning shows that politicians are inclined to interpret new information in light of previous beliefs and opinions (Bolsen and Palm, 2019). Experimental studies, for example, find that politicians are often biased by partisan convictions when confronted with contradicting evidence (Baekgaard et al, 2019; Hjort et al, 2021; Lee, 2021) and that political positions can even be reinforced as a response to science (e.g. Heikkila et al, 2020).…”