Dr. Elizabeth Dorssom Co-Authors Study on Lawmakers' Understanding of Public Policy Impacts

Dr. Elizabeth Dorssom, assistant professor of political science, has co-authored a recent study published in Political Behavior.

Lincoln University of Missouri Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Elizabeth Dorssom, along with Adam Zelizer of the University of Chicago and Patricia Kirkland of Columbia University, co-authored a newly published study titled “The Democratic Dilemma among Elites: Do Legislators Make More Reasoned Decisions than the Public?" The research, published in Political Behavior, examines whether legislators are more adept than the general public at assessing the fiscal consequences of policy decisions. It investigates lawmakers’ initial knowledge of policy consequences, their ability to learn from expert input and how well they integrate this information into their evaluations.

The study finds that legislators, much like the general public, often hold inaccurate or biased beliefs about the fiscal impacts of policy proposals. However, exposure to expert research improves their understanding, bringing their assessments more in line with their existing policy positions. Despite this improvement, the study suggests that lawmakers’ reasoning abilities and knowledge levels remain comparable to those of the public.

“Interestingly, by the time lawmakers cast their votes, they do appear to base their decisions on more accurate beliefs about policy,” Dorssom said. “The research suggests that this informed voting is more a result of institutional structures and legislative processes than any inherent policy expertise or superior reasoning abilities compared to the public. These findings emphasize the need to design legislative systems that help lawmakers make informed decisions, considering the constraints they face in their roles.”

The full study is available through Political Behavior and can be accessed here.