Education, Science, Technology, Innovation and Life
Open Access
Sign In

Individualism, Collectivism, and Redistribution Preferences: A Literature Review

Download as PDF

DOI: 10.23977/socsam.2025.060120 | Downloads: 0 | Views: 59

Author(s)

Jingjing Jiao 1

Affiliation(s)

1 College of Economics and Management, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China

Corresponding Author

Jingjing Jiao

ABSTRACT

The relationship between cultural orientation and redistribution preferences has become a significant topic in political science, economics, and sociology. Redistribution preferences refer to the extent to which individuals support reducing inequality through taxation and transfer payments. Recent research increasingly employs experiments and cross-cultural surveys, revealing that collectivism correlates with stronger support for redistribution, while individualism correlates with weaker preferences. However, these correlations are influenced by contextual factors such as income sources, government efficiency, decision-making mechanisms, and historical experiences. This paper reviews the relevant conceptual foundations, empirical evidence, and methodological debates, while also identifying future research directions.

KEYWORDS

Individualism; Collectivism; Redistribution; Experimental Economics; Cultural Values

CITE THIS PAPER

Jingjing Jiao, Individualism, Collectivism, and Redistribution Preferences: A Literature Review. Social Security and Administration Management (2025) Vol. 6: 148-154. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/socsam.2025.060120.

REFERENCES

[1] Rawls J. A theory of justice[M]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971.
[2] Harsanyi J C. Cardinal utility in welfare economics and in the theory of risk-taking[J]. Journal of Political Economy, 1953, 61(5): 434–435.
[3] Harsanyi J C. Rational behavior and bargaining equilibrium in games and social situations[M]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977.
[4] Ackert L F, Martinez-Vazquez J, Rider M. Tax Policy Design in the Presence of Social Preferences: Some Experimental Evidence[J]. Economic Inquiry, 2007, 45(3): 487-501.
[5] Esarey J, Salmon T, Barrilleaux C. Social insurance and income redistribution in a laboratory experiment[J]. Political Research Quarterly, 2012, 65(3): 685-698.
[6] Durante R, Putterman L, Van D W. Preferences for Redistribution and Perception of Fairness: An Experimental Study[J]. Journal of the European Economic Association, 2014, 12(4): 1059-1086.
[7] Hofstede G. Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations[M]. Sage publications, 2001.
[8] Fong C. Social Preferences, Self-Interest and the Demand for Redistribution[J]. Journal of Public Economics, 2001, 82(2): 225-246.
[9] Luttmer E F P, Singhal M. Culture, context, and the taste for redistribution[J]. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2011, 3(1): 157–179.
[10] Alesina A, Giuliano P. Preferences for redistribution[C]//Handbook of Social Economics. Vol. 1A. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2011: 93–132.
[11] Okun A M. Equality and efficiency: The big tradeoff[M]. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 1975.
[12] Hofstede G. Culture's consequences[M]. Beverly Hills: Sage.1980.
[13] Brewer M B, Chen Y R. Where (who) are collectives in collectivism? Toward conceptual clarification of individualism and collectivism[J]. Psychological Review, 2007, 114(1): 133–151.
[14] Oyserman D, Coon H M, Kemmelmeier M. Rethinking individualism and collectivism: evaluation of theoretical assumptions and meta-analyses[J]. Psychological bulletin, 2002, 128(1): 3-72.
[15] Oyserman D, Lee S W S. Does culture influence what and how we think? Effects of priming individualism and collectivism[J]. Psychological bulletin, 2008, 134(2): 311-342.
[16] Iida Y. Task-based income inequalities and redistribution preferences: A comparison of China and Japan[J]. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 2015, 55: 91-102.
[17] Chen Y, Wang H, Yang D. Salience of History and the Preference for Redistribution[J]. Available at SSRN 2717651, 2016.
[18] Lee K, Shahriar Q. Fairness, one's source of income, and others' decisions: An ultimatum game experiment[J]. Managerial and Decision Economics, 2017, 38(3): 423-431.
[19] Leibbrandt A, Maitra P, Neelim A. On the redistribution of wealth in a developing country: Experimental evidence on stake and framing effects[J]. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2015, 118: 360-371.
[20] Höchtl W, Sausgruber R, Tyran J R. Inequality aversion and voting on redistribution[J]. European economic review, 2012, 56(7): 1406-1421.
[21] Yang X L, Zhou Y A. Government Efficiency, Social Decision-Making Mechanisms and Redistribution Preferences: An Experimental Economics Study Based on Chinese Participants. Management World, 2017(06):51-62.
[22] Alesina A, Fuchs-Schündeln N. Good-bye Lenin(or not?): The Effect of Communism on People[J]. American Economic Review, 2007, 97(4): 1507-1528.
[23] Giuliano P, Spilimbergo A. Growing Up in a Recession[J]. The Review of Economic Studies, 2014, 81(2): 787-817.
[24] Wang L J, Tong B. Experimental Research on Income Inequality, Fairness Preferences and Redistribution [J]. Management World, 2017(06): 63-81.

Downloads: 6081
Visits: 250854

All published work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2016 - 2031 Clausius Scientific Press Inc. All Rights Reserved.