The Association Between Family Income and Adults’ Attitudes on Whether the Government Should Help the Poor

Author(s)

Emily MalloyFollow

Abstract

This research examines whether people in different social classes have varying views on whether the government should help the poor and whether that depends on political affiliation. Income inequality has become a greater problem in the U.S. in recent decades. This means that the poor could require more assistance and it is important to know if the public thinks the government should help the poor. Knowing what influences public opinion on this issue could help policy makers make informed decisions about whether the government should help the poor. Data from the 2008 (N=2,023) and 2018 (N=2,348) General Social Survey (GSS) were analyzed using cross tabulation and chi-square test using SPSS. The study found that respondents with higher incomes were the least likely to report the government should help the poor among moderates and conservatives. Liberals across all income levels were found to be more likely than moderates and conservatives to report that the government should help the poor. Policy makers interested in creating or changing legislature for the government to help the poor should prioritize persuading moderates and conservatives in the upper class.

Department

Sociology

Major

Sociology

First Advisor

Dr. Kei Nomaguchi

First Advisor Department

Sociology

Second Advisor

Dr. Radhika Gajjala

Second Advisor Department

American Culture Studies

Publication Date

Spring 5-11-2020

Repository Citation

Malloy, Emily, "The Association Between Family Income and Adults’ Attitudes on Whether the Government Should Help the Poor" (2020). Honors Projects. 499.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects/499