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Perceptual Bias and Public Programs: The Case of the United States and Hospital Care
Author(s) -
Meier Kenneth J.,
Johnson Austin P.,
An SeungHo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/puar.13067
Subject(s) - perception , danish , democratic governance , government (linguistics) , public administration , democracy , corporate governance , political science , public economics , public sector , public relations , business , economics , psychology , finance , law , politics , linguistics , neuroscience , philosophy
This article examines whether the public holds biased perceptions of public organizations (in this case, hospitals) in the United States and whether organizations get credit for positive results from program evaluations. Using an experimental design that replicates Hvidman and Andersen's 2016 Danish study, the study finds no negative public sector biases in the United States, but organizations are not given any credit for positive program evaluations. These results hold in two experimental replications. The implications of the findings for the measurement of public perceptions of government programs and for effective democratic governance are discussed .