Opinions on the tax deductibility of mortgages and the consensus effect

Abstract

We present the results of a survey-experiment - using a representative sample of the Dutch population - in which we relate respondents' opinion about a restriction of the tax deductibility of mortgages to their estimates about other people's opinions. We find a strong consensus effect; meaning that respondents' estimates of others' opinions are related to their own opinion. Furthermore, we find that the size of the effect is not affected by the ambiguity of the question posed. The provision of arguments pro and contra the tax provision and monetary incentives for accuracy reduce the consensus effect, but only so in conjunction. Finally, we find that house owners display a significantly stronger consensus effect. Our results suggest that both cognitive and motivational factors are responsible for the consensus effect. Aside from the consensus effect, our survey gives interesting insights into people's opinion on tax deductibility of mortgages. A majority consider a general restriction to be unfair, but a proposal to restrict only mortgages as of a certain size meets with much more approval. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007.