Meredith Sadin | University of California, Berkeley (original) (raw)

Papers by Meredith Sadin

Over the past few decades, economic inequality has risen at an alarming rate while class mobility... more Over the past few decades, economic inequality has risen at an alarming rate while class mobility has stagnated. But, what is the nature of the public's beliefs about the rich? And how are these beliefs consequential for citizens' voting behavior and policy attitudes? Using an original survey, a series of survey experiments, and a large-scale field experiment from the 2012 ! vi! experiment, and your infectious laughter that brightened up the halls of CSDP (your skink helped).

Political Psychology, Oct 30, 2014

In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused ... more In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused on White voters' attitudes. In this article, we employ a set of randomized experiments and nationally representative survey data to examine how both Black and White voters evaluate the ideology of racially diverse candidates. In line with previous research, we find evidence that White voters stereotype Black candidates as being more liberal than White candidates in three of our four tests. In contrast, we find that Black voters-particularly those who identify as politically conservative-project their own ideology onto Black candidates. These findings have electoral importance because, as we show, vote choice for both Blacks and Whites is substantially mediated by perceived ideological distance from a candidate. These findings also enable us to better understand the manner in which Black voters navigate a trade-off between descriptive and substantive representation.

Public Opinion Quarterly, 2015

In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of ... more In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of political candidates' race and skin tone. Our findings challenge simplistic notions of black preference for descriptive representation. Instead, we argue that race matters to how black Americans evaluate candidates for political office, but that it does so in combination with both candidates' skin tone and voters' ideology. Specifically, our data from a set of randomized experiments show that black conservative Democrats, relative to their more liberal copartisans, express a stronger preference for black candidates relative to white counterparts and prefer darker-skinned candidates relative to lighterskinned ones. In exploring this result, we argue that conservative black Democrats, who are liberal economically but more socially conservative, use skin tone as a heuristic to help determine which candidate is most likely to match their party-atypical but race-typical political preferences. Thus, despite being less likely to support affirmative action policies, black conservatives are actually more prone to using race and skin tone heuristics in their evaluations of candidates for political office. These findings are substantively significant. As black voters have become much more ideologically diverse, their preferences with respect to candidate race and skin tone may have greater electoral consequences.

The Journal of Politics, 2015

Replication Data and Code for: Policy Uptake as Political Behavior: Evidence from the Affordable ... more Replication Data and Code for: Policy Uptake as Political Behavior: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act Replication Material contains the following files: Submission Code: - Administrative - administrative_analysis_6-8.do - figure3_code.R - Experiment - experimental_analysis_6-23.do - experimental_figures_6-8.R - kff - figure2_code.R - kaiser_analysis_submission_6-8.do Submission Data - Administrative - county_level_data.dta - puma_county_crosswalk.xlsx - puma_fips_walk.dta - Experiment - balance_within_reps.tif - cleaned_dig.dta - cleaned_ph.dta - dig_ph_append.dta - figureA6.tif - full_joint_data.dta - val_mturk.dta - kff - modified_trend_thru1216.dta - state_ffm_sbm.xlsx Submission Output - Administrative - admin_figure_data.dta - raw_puma.txt - raw_puma.xls - Experiment - esi_v_marketplace.txt - esi_v_marketplace.xls - exp_logistic1.xlsx - exp_logistic2.xlsx - marketplace_v_other.txt - marketplace_v_other.xls - uninsured_v_esi.txt - uninsured_v_esi.xls - uninsured_v_other.txt - uninsured_v_other.xls - kff - kff_output_collected_6-8.xlsx - stata_raw_output.xlsx - stata_raw_output2.xlsx - stata_raw_output3.xlsx - stata_raw_output4.xlsx - stata_rob_output.xlsx </DL

iii! Acknowledgements iv! CHAPTER 1 “We Are The 99%” 1! CHAPTER 2 How We View The “Haves” 13! CHA... more iii! Acknowledgements iv! CHAPTER 1 “We Are The 99%” 1! CHAPTER 2 How We View The “Haves” 13! CHAPTER 3 How Beliefs About The Rich Are Consequential For Public Opinion 78! CHAPTER 4 Campaigning With Class – The Effect Of Candidate Social Class On Voters’ Evaluations 120! CHAPTER 5 Candidate Wealth As A Heuristic In The 2012 Presidential Election 167 CHAPTER 6 Summary and Implications of Ambivalent Wealth Stereotypes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 202 APPENDIX A 214! References 215!

Journal of Urban Design, 2018

While urban planners often cite public park revitalization as a means of improving community civi... more While urban planners often cite public park revitalization as a means of improving community civic trust, there is limited research that verifies this practice. To address this gap, this study utilizes a survey experiment with Miami-Dade County residents living near a park undergoing renovation. The study finds that informing people about the renovation can increase civic trust relative to not informing them. The benefits of this research are twofold: the survey experiment methodology serves as a cost-effective means of comparing design elements while the findings confirm and extend conventional wisdom regarding the effect of park revitalization on civic trust.

Journal of Experimental Criminology

Punishment & Society, 2022

Identity-driven theories of desistance provide a useful model for understanding change in a carce... more Identity-driven theories of desistance provide a useful model for understanding change in a carceral context. However, these theories often are not grounded in specific programmes or practices that might catalyze identity shift, and tend to focus narrowly on recidivism as the sole outcome of interest. In this study, we examine the role of prison higher education in identity-driven change through the process of transformative learning. Using administrative information on college-level course completion and an original longitudinal survey of prison college students, we show evidence of both between- and within-subjects shifts in individuals’ sense of self-efficacy, as well as their broader civic orientation. We further explore the role of identity using a survey experiment that randomly assigns individuals to a “student” versus “prisoner” identity label. We find that identity labelling has significant effects on both confidence in accomplishing one's goals and perceived likelihood...

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548211037718 for Prisons and Mental Health: Vio... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548211037718 for Prisons and Mental Health: Violence, Organizational Support, and the Effects of Correctional Work by Amy E. Lerman, Jessie Harney and Meredith Sadin in Criminal Justice and Behavior

American Political Science Review, 2017

Partisanship is a primary predictor of attitudes toward public policy. However, we do not yet kno... more Partisanship is a primary predictor of attitudes toward public policy. However, we do not yet know whether party similarly plays a role in shaping public policy behavior, such as whether to apply for government benefits or take advantage of public services. While existing research has identified numerous factors that increase policy uptake, the role of politics has been almost entirely overlooked. In this paper, we examine the case of the Affordable Care Act to assess whether policy uptake is not only about information and incentives; but also about politics. Using longitudinal data, we find that Republicans have been less likely than Democrats to enroll in an insurance plan through state or federal exchanges, all else equal. Employing a large-scale field experiment, we then show that de-emphasizing the role of government (and highlighting the market's role) can close this partisan gap.

Abstract will be provided by author.

Public Opinion Quarterly, 2015

In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of ... more In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of political candidates' race and skin tone. Our findings challenge simplistic notions of black preference for descriptive representation. Instead, we argue that race matters to how black Americans evaluate candidates for political office, but that it does so in combination with both candidates' skin tone and voters' ideology. Specifically, our data from a set of randomized experiments show that black conservative Democrats, relative to their more liberal copartisans, express a stronger preference for black candidates relative to white counterparts and prefer darker-skinned candidates relative to lighterskinned ones. In exploring this result, we argue that conservative black Democrats, who are liberal economically but more socially conservative, use skin tone as a heuristic to help determine which candidate is most likely to match their party-atypical but race-typical political preferences. Thus, despite being less likely to support affirmative action policies, black conservatives are actually more prone to using race and skin tone heuristics in their evaluations of candidates for political office. These findings are substantively significant. As black voters have become much more ideologically diverse, their preferences with respect to candidate race and skin tone may have greater electoral consequences.

Political Psychology, 2014

In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused ... more In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused on White voters' attitudes. In this article, we employ a set of randomized experiments and nationally representative survey data to examine how both Black and White voters evaluate the ideology of racially diverse candidates. In line with previous research, we find evidence that White voters stereotype Black candidates as being more liberal than White candidates in three of our four tests. In contrast, we find that Black voters-particularly those who identify as politically conservative-project their own ideology onto Black candidates. These findings have electoral importance because, as we show, vote choice for both Blacks and Whites is substantially mediated by perceived ideological distance from a candidate. These findings also enable us to better understand the manner in which Black voters navigate a trade-off between descriptive and substantive representation.

The Journal of Politics, 2015

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2021

Correctional workers have a high likelihood of exposure to violence in the workplace. However, em... more Correctional workers have a high likelihood of exposure to violence in the workplace. However, empirical literature has largely neglected the mental health consequences of prison work, as well as the institutional factors that might mitigate or exacerbate these effects. To fill this gap, we employ original survey data on thousands of correctional officers to explore the effects of exposure to violence on the job. We find strong associations between violence and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide risk, as well as symptoms of depression, alcohol abuse, anxiety, and sleep disorder. Importantly, we also find a potentially protective role of institutional factors, such as the quality of perceived management and supervision. In line with the perceived organizational support (POS) model, our findings make clear that organizational support can moderate the deleterious effects of prison work.

Over the past few decades, economic inequality has risen at an alarming rate while class mobility... more Over the past few decades, economic inequality has risen at an alarming rate while class mobility has stagnated. But, what is the nature of the public's beliefs about the rich? And how are these beliefs consequential for citizens' voting behavior and policy attitudes? Using an original survey, a series of survey experiments, and a large-scale field experiment from the 2012 ! vi! experiment, and your infectious laughter that brightened up the halls of CSDP (your skink helped).

Political Psychology, Oct 30, 2014

In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused ... more In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused on White voters' attitudes. In this article, we employ a set of randomized experiments and nationally representative survey data to examine how both Black and White voters evaluate the ideology of racially diverse candidates. In line with previous research, we find evidence that White voters stereotype Black candidates as being more liberal than White candidates in three of our four tests. In contrast, we find that Black voters-particularly those who identify as politically conservative-project their own ideology onto Black candidates. These findings have electoral importance because, as we show, vote choice for both Blacks and Whites is substantially mediated by perceived ideological distance from a candidate. These findings also enable us to better understand the manner in which Black voters navigate a trade-off between descriptive and substantive representation.

Public Opinion Quarterly, 2015

In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of ... more In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of political candidates' race and skin tone. Our findings challenge simplistic notions of black preference for descriptive representation. Instead, we argue that race matters to how black Americans evaluate candidates for political office, but that it does so in combination with both candidates' skin tone and voters' ideology. Specifically, our data from a set of randomized experiments show that black conservative Democrats, relative to their more liberal copartisans, express a stronger preference for black candidates relative to white counterparts and prefer darker-skinned candidates relative to lighterskinned ones. In exploring this result, we argue that conservative black Democrats, who are liberal economically but more socially conservative, use skin tone as a heuristic to help determine which candidate is most likely to match their party-atypical but race-typical political preferences. Thus, despite being less likely to support affirmative action policies, black conservatives are actually more prone to using race and skin tone heuristics in their evaluations of candidates for political office. These findings are substantively significant. As black voters have become much more ideologically diverse, their preferences with respect to candidate race and skin tone may have greater electoral consequences.

The Journal of Politics, 2015

Replication Data and Code for: Policy Uptake as Political Behavior: Evidence from the Affordable ... more Replication Data and Code for: Policy Uptake as Political Behavior: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act Replication Material contains the following files: Submission Code: - Administrative - administrative_analysis_6-8.do - figure3_code.R - Experiment - experimental_analysis_6-23.do - experimental_figures_6-8.R - kff - figure2_code.R - kaiser_analysis_submission_6-8.do Submission Data - Administrative - county_level_data.dta - puma_county_crosswalk.xlsx - puma_fips_walk.dta - Experiment - balance_within_reps.tif - cleaned_dig.dta - cleaned_ph.dta - dig_ph_append.dta - figureA6.tif - full_joint_data.dta - val_mturk.dta - kff - modified_trend_thru1216.dta - state_ffm_sbm.xlsx Submission Output - Administrative - admin_figure_data.dta - raw_puma.txt - raw_puma.xls - Experiment - esi_v_marketplace.txt - esi_v_marketplace.xls - exp_logistic1.xlsx - exp_logistic2.xlsx - marketplace_v_other.txt - marketplace_v_other.xls - uninsured_v_esi.txt - uninsured_v_esi.xls - uninsured_v_other.txt - uninsured_v_other.xls - kff - kff_output_collected_6-8.xlsx - stata_raw_output.xlsx - stata_raw_output2.xlsx - stata_raw_output3.xlsx - stata_raw_output4.xlsx - stata_rob_output.xlsx </DL

iii! Acknowledgements iv! CHAPTER 1 “We Are The 99%” 1! CHAPTER 2 How We View The “Haves” 13! CHA... more iii! Acknowledgements iv! CHAPTER 1 “We Are The 99%” 1! CHAPTER 2 How We View The “Haves” 13! CHAPTER 3 How Beliefs About The Rich Are Consequential For Public Opinion 78! CHAPTER 4 Campaigning With Class – The Effect Of Candidate Social Class On Voters’ Evaluations 120! CHAPTER 5 Candidate Wealth As A Heuristic In The 2012 Presidential Election 167 CHAPTER 6 Summary and Implications of Ambivalent Wealth Stereotypes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 202 APPENDIX A 214! References 215!

Journal of Urban Design, 2018

While urban planners often cite public park revitalization as a means of improving community civi... more While urban planners often cite public park revitalization as a means of improving community civic trust, there is limited research that verifies this practice. To address this gap, this study utilizes a survey experiment with Miami-Dade County residents living near a park undergoing renovation. The study finds that informing people about the renovation can increase civic trust relative to not informing them. The benefits of this research are twofold: the survey experiment methodology serves as a cost-effective means of comparing design elements while the findings confirm and extend conventional wisdom regarding the effect of park revitalization on civic trust.

Journal of Experimental Criminology

Punishment & Society, 2022

Identity-driven theories of desistance provide a useful model for understanding change in a carce... more Identity-driven theories of desistance provide a useful model for understanding change in a carceral context. However, these theories often are not grounded in specific programmes or practices that might catalyze identity shift, and tend to focus narrowly on recidivism as the sole outcome of interest. In this study, we examine the role of prison higher education in identity-driven change through the process of transformative learning. Using administrative information on college-level course completion and an original longitudinal survey of prison college students, we show evidence of both between- and within-subjects shifts in individuals’ sense of self-efficacy, as well as their broader civic orientation. We further explore the role of identity using a survey experiment that randomly assigns individuals to a “student” versus “prisoner” identity label. We find that identity labelling has significant effects on both confidence in accomplishing one's goals and perceived likelihood...

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548211037718 for Prisons and Mental Health: Vio... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548211037718 for Prisons and Mental Health: Violence, Organizational Support, and the Effects of Correctional Work by Amy E. Lerman, Jessie Harney and Meredith Sadin in Criminal Justice and Behavior

American Political Science Review, 2017

Partisanship is a primary predictor of attitudes toward public policy. However, we do not yet kno... more Partisanship is a primary predictor of attitudes toward public policy. However, we do not yet know whether party similarly plays a role in shaping public policy behavior, such as whether to apply for government benefits or take advantage of public services. While existing research has identified numerous factors that increase policy uptake, the role of politics has been almost entirely overlooked. In this paper, we examine the case of the Affordable Care Act to assess whether policy uptake is not only about information and incentives; but also about politics. Using longitudinal data, we find that Republicans have been less likely than Democrats to enroll in an insurance plan through state or federal exchanges, all else equal. Employing a large-scale field experiment, we then show that de-emphasizing the role of government (and highlighting the market's role) can close this partisan gap.

Abstract will be provided by author.

Public Opinion Quarterly, 2015

In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of ... more In this paper, we examine the role of political ideology in shaping black voters' evaluations of political candidates' race and skin tone. Our findings challenge simplistic notions of black preference for descriptive representation. Instead, we argue that race matters to how black Americans evaluate candidates for political office, but that it does so in combination with both candidates' skin tone and voters' ideology. Specifically, our data from a set of randomized experiments show that black conservative Democrats, relative to their more liberal copartisans, express a stronger preference for black candidates relative to white counterparts and prefer darker-skinned candidates relative to lighterskinned ones. In exploring this result, we argue that conservative black Democrats, who are liberal economically but more socially conservative, use skin tone as a heuristic to help determine which candidate is most likely to match their party-atypical but race-typical political preferences. Thus, despite being less likely to support affirmative action policies, black conservatives are actually more prone to using race and skin tone heuristics in their evaluations of candidates for political office. These findings are substantively significant. As black voters have become much more ideologically diverse, their preferences with respect to candidate race and skin tone may have greater electoral consequences.

Political Psychology, 2014

In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused ... more In studying the electoral fortunes of Black candidates, scholars have almost exclusively focused on White voters' attitudes. In this article, we employ a set of randomized experiments and nationally representative survey data to examine how both Black and White voters evaluate the ideology of racially diverse candidates. In line with previous research, we find evidence that White voters stereotype Black candidates as being more liberal than White candidates in three of our four tests. In contrast, we find that Black voters-particularly those who identify as politically conservative-project their own ideology onto Black candidates. These findings have electoral importance because, as we show, vote choice for both Blacks and Whites is substantially mediated by perceived ideological distance from a candidate. These findings also enable us to better understand the manner in which Black voters navigate a trade-off between descriptive and substantive representation.

The Journal of Politics, 2015

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2021

Correctional workers have a high likelihood of exposure to violence in the workplace. However, em... more Correctional workers have a high likelihood of exposure to violence in the workplace. However, empirical literature has largely neglected the mental health consequences of prison work, as well as the institutional factors that might mitigate or exacerbate these effects. To fill this gap, we employ original survey data on thousands of correctional officers to explore the effects of exposure to violence on the job. We find strong associations between violence and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide risk, as well as symptoms of depression, alcohol abuse, anxiety, and sleep disorder. Importantly, we also find a potentially protective role of institutional factors, such as the quality of perceived management and supervision. In line with the perceived organizational support (POS) model, our findings make clear that organizational support can moderate the deleterious effects of prison work.