Guido Mehlkop

This study examines public support for redistributive education policies, focusing on free private tutoring for socioeconomically disadvantaged children in Germany. Using a vignette-based survey experiment with a nationwide sample drawn from a probability-based offline-recruited panel ( N = 1331), we investigated whether support varies depending on whether access to tutoring is conditional on students’ academic performance. Policy support was measured along three dimensions: agreement with the policy, perceived fairness, and evaluation of beneficiary parents. The results show broad baseline support for providing free tutoring to children with low socioeconomic status. However, support is significantly higher when access is conditional on poor academic performance. Conditionality also increases perceived fairness and leads to more positive evaluations of beneficiary parents, suggesting that respondents interpret performance-based eligibility as a signal of deservingness and need. Inequality-oriented dispositions are consistently related to policy attitudes: Left-leaning respondents are more supportive, whereas respondents with higher social dominance orientation or stronger malicious envy are less supportive. Instrumental factors such as income and education play only a limited role. Overall, support for redistributive education policies varies more with ideological orientations than with respondents’ material position. Conditionality increases support but does not substantially reduce ideological divides. These results contribute to broader debates on equity and public support for welfare and education policies.

This study presents a novel measurement for privacy attitudes based on a three-component attitude model. Our theoretical approach treats privacy as a fundamental right along a negative conception and treats concerns about privacy violations as the key attitudinal components that are predictive for privacy-related behavior. We offer an alternative to existing measures focused on concerns and attitudes towards specific data use cases. Using survey data from Germany to develop the six-item GIPA scale, we apply the measure in a three-country survey covering the U.S., India, and Germany where we validate the scale with respect to measurement invariance and convergent validity. Results demonstrate good model fit, metric measurement invariance across countries, and predictive validity in relation to COVID-19 tracing app usage and digital payment app acceptance.

Reproductive technologies using genetic information to influence attributes of children before birth have long been a topic of fascination and controversy in various disciplines (Chan & Mehta, 2022...

Psychedelic drugs, particularly taking small amounts of psychedelics in a cyclical pattern over days (so-called microdosing), have garnered growing scientific and public interest, but representative data on different dosage levels is scarce. To better understand this trend, we surveyed a nationwide sample of 11,299 adults in Germany. The survey assessed lifetime and past six-month psychedelic use by dosage as well as socio-demographic variables (sex, age, education, employment status, household equivalence income, partner arrangements, and place of residence). Results show that 5.0% of respondents self-reported lifetime psychedelic use, while 0.7% reported past six-month use. Medium to high dosing was more prevalent than microdosing. Moreover, high probabilities of using multiple forms of psychedelics were uncovered. We also observed variation in use across socio-demographic groups. For example, psychedelics use was less likely in females than males, and older than younger respondents. Past six-month microdosing was less likely in rural areas, and past six-month medium to high dosing was less prevalent in individuals with higher income or who live with a partner. This study shows limited support for widespread use in Germany and highlights diverse usage patterns across socio-demographics. These findings can inform policies, especially considering the overlap in usage of various substances.

With advances in neurotechnology and its use for medical treatment and beyond, it is important to understand the public’s awareness of such technologies and potential disparities in self-reported knowledge, because knowledge is known to influence the acceptance and use of new technologies. This study utilizes a large sample (N = 10,339) to depict the existence and extent of self-reported knowledge of these neurotechnologies and to examine knowledge disparities between respondents. Results show that most respondents self-reported at least some knowledge of ultrasound and electroencephalography (EEG), but limited knowledge of BCIs. Prior use, being a healthcare professional, and health literacy increased the odds of self-reporting some knowledge. Also gender and age disparities exist. These findings may help identify uninformed groups in society and enhance information campaigns.

National governments around the world increasingly acknowledge the possibility of introducing new digital forms of money and implementing policies that trigger their adoption. Knowledge about the acceptance of such measures, however, is rather limited. Next to the regulatory uncertainty about the impact of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) on competition, on financial stability and questions on the integrity and technical implementations of a CBDC, recent announcements of the joint venture of e.g. the European Central Bank with a large and globally operating private company emphatically raise questions about data privacy. Therefore, we report results of a survey experiment conducted in the United States of America, Germany and India to investigate the acceptance of an app-based monthly digital payment similar to a Universal Basic Income and investigate its adoption across income levels. Controlling for privacy features and short-term vs. long-term incentives to adopt the digital payment app, we find strong reservations with regard to the involvement of multinational tech companies in establishing new digital mediums of exchange, while also finding contextual differences in acceptance levels between the studied populations.