Attitudinal Feedback towards Sub-national Social Policy: A Comparison of Popular Support for Social Health Insurance in Urban China

Policy feedback theory posits that pre-existing policies shape citizens’ policy preferences and attitudes. This attitudinal feedback effect may, in turn, either reinforce or undermine current policies. This study seeks to examine whether attitudinal feedback explains why urban Chinese are motivated to contribute to social health insurance, a highly tangible issue for ordinary Chinese. Empirical data were collected in an original survey of urban inhabitants in three provinces between late 2017 and early 2018. Quantitative results reveal clear attitudinal feedback. Resource effects, interpretive effects, and individual learning effects all appear to shape motivations for contributing to social health insurance.