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What's in a Word: The Opposition to Welfare

Feldhaus, Claudia G
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xupsy1629976679245301

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
Wealth inequality in the United States is currently more pronounced than in previous years and most Americans prefer a more reasonable distribution wealth. However, Americans seem to be particular about resolutions to narrowing the wealth gap. Previous research suggests a longstanding opposition to welfare and its recipients, especially when the recipients are African American. The current study examined the degree to which the target race (i.e., African American or Caucasian) and the program label (i.e., welfare or assistance to the poor) account for support of and attitudes toward welfare and its recipients. Undergraduate students enrolled at a private, Jesuit university (N = 222; Mage = 20.10 years, SD = 1.86) read an article that described an anti-poverty program, along with characteristics of a current recipient and then completed questionnaires measuring support and attitudes. The majority of results did not reach statistical significance with response patterns indicating a tendency to neutrally respond. Statistically significant results revealed when the recipient was African American, support was indicated at a greater extent; and, when the program was labeled assistance to the poor, support for increased spending on the program was indicated at a greater extent, and it was less likely viewed as a burden for the average taxpayer. Exploratory analysis revealed an association between welfare and African Americans. Future research should continue to examine the opposition to welfare and its association with African Americans to determine if there is structural change occurring with associative evaluations or if the current study’s results are more temporal.
Christian End, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Cindy Dulaney, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Tammy Sonnentag, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
65 p.
African Americans; Black Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Political Science; Public Policy; Social Psychology; Social Research; Welfare
welfare; wealth inequality; race; welfare opposition

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Feldhaus, C. G. (2021). What's in a Word: The Opposition to Welfare [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xupsy1629976679245301

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Feldhaus, Claudia. What's in a Word: The Opposition to Welfare. 2021. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xupsy1629976679245301.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Feldhaus, Claudia. "What's in a Word: The Opposition to Welfare." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xupsy1629976679245301

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xupsy1629976679245301
167
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Psychology and OhioLINK.