Perceived greater economic inequality is supposedly associated with higher demand for redistribution. However, the findings in the literature are mixed in this regard, with some researchers providing evidence in favour of this association and some findings evidence against it. Given that perceived economic inequality and endorsement of system-justifying beliefs are related to increased inequality acceptance, we explore the interplay between them in relation to support for redistribution. This study is intended to shed light on the role of utopian standards (ideal estimates about what ought to be) as one mechanism that affects the relationship between perceived greater economic inequality and support for redistribution. Based on correlational data (N = 794), we conducted a conditional process analysis and found that perceived greater inequality displayed a negative indirect effect on support for redistribution, through acceptance of ideal level of economic inequality: Perception of higher inequality was related to increased ideal levels of inequality and thus with lower support for redistribution. In addition, we found that economic system-justifying beliefs conditioned the effect of perceived economic inequality in two ways: First, perceived economic inequality was positively associated with higher acceptance of inequality, and this association was stronger for those that justified the economic system more, and perceived greater inequality was associated with higher support for redistribution—but only for those who endorsed lower levels of economic system justification beliefs. These findings provide evidence that perceived greater economic inequality does not in itself lead to a push for more redistribution; rather, utopian standards such as ideal estimates of economic inequality, which are conditioned by system-justifying ideologies.

中文翻译：

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对经济不平等的认识和对再分配的支持：现有标准和乌托邦标准的作用

人们认为，更大的经济不平等与对再分配的更高需求有关。但是，在这方面，文献中的发现参差不齐，一些研究人员提供了支持这种关联的证据，而另一些发现则反对这种关联。鉴于感知到的经济不平等和对系统合理性信念的认可与不平等接受程度的提高有关，我们将探讨它们之间在支持再分配方面的相互作用。这项研究旨在阐明乌托邦标准（对应该是什么的理想估计）的作用，因为它影响着人们认为更大的经济不平等与对再分配的支持之间的关系。基于相关数据（N = 794），我们进行了有条件的过程分析，发现感知更大的不平等通过接受理想的经济不平等水平对支持再分配产生了负面的间接影响：对更高不平等的感知与理想不平等水平的提高有关，因此与降低对再分配的支持。此外，我们发现，经济体系合理化信念通过两种方式调节了感知到的经济不平等的影响：首先，感知到的经济不平等与不平等的接受程度呈正相关，而对于那些更能证明经济制度合理的人，这种联系则更为紧密，并认为更大的不平等与对再分配的更高支持相关联，但仅适用于那些认可较低水平的经济体系合理性信念的人。这些发现提供了证据，表明人们认为更大的经济不平等本身并不会促使人们进行更多的再分配。相反，乌托邦式的标准，例如经济不平等的理想估计，是由系统合理化的意识形态决定的。