Attitudes about poverty..

[undergroundpanther]

There has been surprisingly little research on attitudes toward poverty and the poor as a stigmatized or stereotyped group, despite the available data regarding attitudes and stereotypes toward other disadvantaged groups (e.g., ethnic/racial groups, gays and lesbians).

Prior research has shown that attitudes toward the poor in the United States tend to be negative (Cozzarelli et al., 2001; Atherton, Gemmel, Hagenstad, Holt, Jensen, O'Hara, & Rehner, 1993). Studies have shown that reporting negative attitudes toward the poor are highly correlated with individualistic/internal attributions for poverty, and positive attitudes toward the poor have been reported as positively correlating with structural/external attributions for poverty (Bullock et al., 2001; Cozzarelli et al., 2001; Iyengar, 1990; Smith & Stone, 1989). Americans typically believe that individuals are responsible for their status in systems of social and economic inequality. There have been suggestions that poverty serves a societal purpose and is a necessary part of our social structure. Persons in low positions are kept there for the benefit of those in high positions (Gans, 1989). To eliminate the poor would be to eliminate the low-wage labor pool, physically dangerous work, temporary work, and undignified and menial jobs. Furthermore, attitudes toward and attributions for poverty have been linked to the belief that the world is a just place where people deserve what they get (Furnham, 1982).

Lerner's Belief in a Just World theory presumes that persons either believe that the world is a just place and that people get what they deserve, or that the world is not a just place and that events occur by chance (Lerner, 1980). Those with high just-world beliefs attribute poverty and other negative circumstances to one's behavior and personal characteristics, concluding that the poor person somehow deserves to be poor. The person's economic status is due to something the person did or failed to do, therefore they deserved it or had it coming. Many studies have correlated just-world beliefs with attributions and/or attitudes with some success (Bullock et al., 2001; Cozzarelli et al., 2001; Furnham, 1982). Although some have questioned the reliability of the psychometric scales measuring just-world beliefs (Lea & Fekken, 1993; O'Conner, Morrison, & Morrison, 1993), most studies have shown significant results with the measurement. And, Furnham (1993) reported that people having high just-world beliefs had more negative perceptions and attitudes toward the poor.

Research pertaining to poverty and attitudes toward the poor could serve as a catalyst for political policy, education, health care, and various other issues concerning this population. Poverty continues to be a significant problem in the United States and globally, yet the poor are apt to be devalued and marginalized. Minority group members (e.g., the poor) are objectively worse off than they would be if stereotypes and prejudice did not exist. They suffer psychologically, economically, and physically. Attitudes form quickly and easily, yet resist change. More importantly, the poor are often the victims of categorization, viewed as the social out-group, and perceived as homogeneous; they are all the same (e.g., lazy, immoral, promiscuous, etc.).

Rubin and Peplau (1975) found that just-world beliefs frequently tend to be polar in nature, extending between total acceptance and total rejection of the perception that the world is a just place. Given the previous research, it would seem appropriate to hypothesize that those having higher just-world beliefs will report lower levels of agreement with structural/external attributions for poverty, will report higher levels of agreement with individualistic/internal attributions for wealth, and additionally have more negative attitudes toward the poor. Conversely, those having lower just-world beliefs will report higher levels of agreement with structural/external attributions for poverty, lower levels of agreement with individualistic/internal attributions for wealth, as well as having more positive attitudes toward the poor.

http://www.iusb.edu/~journal/2002/coryn/coryn.html

Furnham (1993) reported that some people believe in a just world because of their personal pathology and experiences (individual functionalism), but there is strong evidence that just-world beliefs are a function not only of personal experience, but also of societal functionalism (i.e., a country's structural and societal factors). Just-world beliefs held by the rich and powerful condemn or devalue the poor.

Because of a just world BELIEF had by rich people who have not struggled, not been abused, or oppressed by money or needs, who have not had their lives ripped apart...Because rich people are insulated from suffering they CAN BELIEVE the world is FAIR and Just,because it has been FOR THEM somewhat,they assume poor people are fortunate as they are and so in their solipsism and beliefs they act like assholes to poor people.

It is because the rich have NOT really suffered enough poverty to empathize with the poor,The rich have NOT felt poverty THEMSELVES,Not felt powerless enough. They haven't felt the FUTILITY of living in poverty themselves yet..So they can delude themselves with fantasies about how Just the world is and how it's so easy to be sucessful..It is easier FOR THE RICH to succeed because THEY have what the poor are denied..The rich are so damn arrogant and ignorant. The rich need to suffer more. To feel the pain of poverty as if it was their own lot. In other words the rich need to be made poor to understand how poverty hurts human beings.