Publications

Bernasconi, M. and Neunhoeffer, F. (2023). "The income inequality trap: When redistributive preferences do not correct greater inequality, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 107, 102077 Link to paper

In a lab study, we examine how preferences for redistribution are affected by income inequality, uncertainty of income class, income mobility, and the source of income (random or effort-based). Under income class uncertainty we discover an inequality trap where individuals exposed to a more unequal pre-tax distribution also demonstrate greater acceptance of post-tax inequality. This effect is particularly pronounced in the effort condition and with low mobility. However, as individuals become aware of their true economic positions, the conflict between the poor and the rich intensifies, decreasing tolerance for inequality. These findings indicate that traditional rational-expectations models which solely rely on risk aversion and inequality aversion cannot fully explain subjects’ redistributive preferences. We also consider other factors, such as fairness considerations, social class memberships, and overconfidence in income expectations as potential drivers.

Neunhoeffer, F. and Teubner, T. (2018). "Between enthusiasm and refusal: A cluster analysis on consumer types and attitudes towards peer-to-peer sharing." Journal of Consumer Behavior 17(2):221-36 Link to paper Paper video by TU Berlin students

The rise of peer‐to‐peer platforms for sharing private resources has introduced new possibilities for access beyond ownership. Although experiencing fast growth, the academic literature has only recently begun to study individual user attitudes toward such new forms of consumption. Building on findings on the underlying consumer motives for peer‐to‐peer sharing, this study differentiates prototypical consumers by means of cluster analysis. Based on data from a large‐scale online survey (n = 745) on consumer motives, we identify 5 main dimensions (concerns, benefits, product‐specific aspects, social aspects, and ownership‐related aspects). On these grounds, we identify 4 consumer types with distinct demographic and attitudinal characteristics: Social Enthusiasts, Conflicted Materialists, Skeptic Ascetics, and Individualistic Refuseniks. Based on these clusters' differences with regard to demographics and sharing behaviors, we derive implications for practitioners to tailor their business models and marketing strategies to the specific motivational patterns of the respective user groups.