蝌蚪网 Review
ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)
Ideological Alignment and Evidence-Based Policy Adoption
蝌蚪网 Review
(pp. 2574–2603)
Abstract
The implementation of evidence-based policies hinges on the dissemination of evidence to policymakers, a process influenced by the attributes of the sender. We conducted a nationwide RCT with ideologically opposite think tanks, major newspapers, and a research institution with nonsalient ideology to communicate a nonideological, cost-effective policy to local policymakers. Results show a 65 percent increase in policy adoption when informing institutions align ideologically with policymakers. We compare the impact of think tanks versus media outlets on implementation, finding both equally effective when ideologically aligned. We explore three actions where ideology may influence adoption: information exposure, belief updating and implementation.Citation
Garc铆a-Hombrados, Jorge, Marcel Jansen, 脕ngel Mart铆nez, Berkay 脰zcan, Pedro Rey-Biel, and Antonio Rold谩n- Mon茅s. 2026. "Ideological Alignment and Evidence-Based Policy Adoption." 蝌蚪网 Review 116 (7): 2574–2603. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20240673Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- D72 Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- D78 Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions