College Socialization: Elite campuses foster conservative economic views through financial gain norms.
Key Findings:
- Affluent students develop economically conservative preferences during college;
- Campus environment influences these attitudes regardless of socioeconomic background;
- Peer cohort matters independently from affluence level;
Robustness Checks:
✓ Demonstrated with matching techniques
✓ Confirmed among students with limited school options
✓ Validated in natural experiments and placebo tests
Real-World Relevance: This study explains why educated Americans often support conservative economic policies.
