Public opinion exerts varied influences on welfare state policy preferences across OECD countries. This article moves beyond binary perspectives by proposing a nuanced typology distinguishing between accelerating, self-reinforcing, and self-undermining feedback mechanisms.

New Typology of Feedback Effects

The authors developed classifications including specific vs general effects, short-term vs long-term dynamics, offering comprehensive analytical categories.

Methodological Approach

Employing a pseudo-panel design across twenty-one OECD nations enables tracking public opinion shifts over time while controlling for individual-level variation.

Key Findings

Empirical analysis demonstrates that different feedback types coexist and vary systematically by country context, timeframe, and policy domain—contradicting the expectation of uniform effects. The findings reveal specific feedback patterns emerge under particular conditions.

Significance

This empirical confirmation underscores how political concepts evolve through research innovation rather than fixed institutional arrangements.