For the purposes hereof, indicators of perception were taken as dependent variables because public social spending patterns can be shaped by factors that are endogenous to institutions and because evidence from other regions shows that public opinion “reacts” to changes in the socioeconomic environment (see box II.2). Replicating this in institutions (n=177), greater distr with a decline in public social spend pO.OOO***). In the past few years, the role that these orientations and perceptions play in initiatives for shrinking the welfare state has also been examined, amid pressure to cut spending sparked by economic crises in developed countries and mounting demographic pressures associated with population aging and rising economic dependence rates.