Does the Economy Really Matter? Evidence from Four Survey Experiments (Online Appendix)

Does the economy really matter? Evidence from four survey experiments (Online Appendix)

Experimental stimuli

Study 1

According to a recent news story, [X%] of economic experts think that the state of the economy [has improved/ has gotten worse] in the last 12 months. Do you think you probably have or have not heard about that sort of news story before today?

X=[51, 53, 55 … 89]

Study 2

According to a recent survey, [X]% of [economic experts/American adults] think that the state of the economy is improving. Do you think you probably have or have not heard about that sort of poll result before today?

X=[23, 28, 33, 38, 43, 48, 53, 58, 63, 68, 73]

Study 3

According to a recent news story, [X]% of leading economic experts said that the US economy has gotten better in 2013. The other [100-X]% said that the economy has gotten worse. The story is based on a survey conducted by the paper that asks leading economists about economic conditions every year since 1977. Do you think you have or have not heard about that story before today?

X=[11, 16, 21, 26, 31, 36, 41, 46, 51, 56, 61, 66, 71, 76, 81, 86, 91]

Study 4

X=[10, 11, 12, … , 88, 89, 90]

Questionnaires

Study 1

· Treatment (see above

· Filler (1 item)

· How would you describe the state of the U.S. economy these days? (Very Bad (1) -Very Good (7))

· Demographics (Gender, Age, Education)

· Do approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? (Strongly Disapprove (1)- Strongly approve (5))

· Party identification (branched, 7 points)

Study 2

· Treatment

· How would you describe the state of the U.S. economy these days? (Very bad (1) -Very good (7))

· Fillers (2 items about immigration)

· Demographics (Gender, Age, Education)

· Do approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? (Strongly Disapprove (1) - Strongly approve (5))

· Party identification (branched 7 points)

Study 3

· Items about immigration

· Treatment

· How would you describe the state of the U.S. economy these days? (Very Bad (1) -Very Good (5))

· And would you say that over the past year the nation’s economy has gotten better, gotten worse or stayed the same? (Gotten much worse (1) Gotten much better (5))

· Fillers (economy in 6 other countries)

· Party identification

· Do approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? (Strongly Disapprove (1) - Strongly approve (5))

· Demographics (Gender, Age, Education, Race/Ethnicity)

Study 4

· Treatment

· Now we would like you ask your opinion on the economy. Overall, do you think the economy is getting better or worse? (And would you say it is getting much better or only slightly better? And would you say it is getting much worse or only slightly worse?

· Party identification (branched, 7 points)

· Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? (Strongly Disapprove (1)- Strongly Disapprove (5))