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Information and legitimacy: results from an experimental survey on attitudes to the 2017 pension reform in Finland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2021

Olli Kangas Open the ORCID record for Olli Kangas [Opens in a new window] ,
Ilpo Airio ,
Karoliina Koskenvuo ,
Susan Kuivalainen Open the ORCID record for Susan Kuivalainen [Opens in a new window]  and
Sanna Tenhunen Open the ORCID record for Sanna Tenhunen [Opens in a new window]
Olli Kangas*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Research, University of Turku, Turku, Uusimaa, Finland
Ilpo Airio
Affiliation:
Planning and Evaluation, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Karoliina Koskenvuo
Affiliation:
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Susan Kuivalainen
Affiliation:
Research Department, Elaketurvakeskus, Eläketurvakeskus, Finland
Sanna Tenhunen
Affiliation:
Research Department, Finnish Centre for Pensions, Finnish Centre for Pensions, Helsinki, Finland
*
*Corresponding author. Email: olli.kangas@utu.fi
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Abstract

The legitimacy of a pension system or any social security program depends on its credibility and perceived fairness. In order to gauge this legitimacy, we need to understand the relation between people's knowledge and attitudes. This experimental survey into the role of knowledge and perceptions divided respondents into two groups: the ‘treatment’ group received an information letter about a forthcoming pension reform before they were interviewed, while the control group was interviewed without receiving this ‘treatment’. Comparisons of the responses from the two groups allow us to assess how the level of knowledge and the provision of information affect people's opinions on policy reform. We also consider the patterns of covariation between background factors, people's concerns, and attitudes toward pension reform. The results show that the information letter had a significant impact on subjective but not on the objective level of knowledge. Receiving the information letter improved acceptance and perceptions of the fairness of the reform.

Keywords

Informationlegitimacypension reform

JEL classification

G22: Insurance • Insurance Companies • Actuarial Studies D83: Search • Learning • Information and Knowledge • Communication • Belief • Unawareness
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Pension Economics & Finance , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , July 2022 , pp. 359 - 374
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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