Investigating the Interplay Between Race, Work Ethic Stereotypes, and Attitudes Toward Welfare Recipients and Policies

Jazmin L. Brown-Iannuzzi, Erin Cooley, Christopher K. Marshburn, Stephanie E. McKee, Ryan F. Lei

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The current research investigates the role of racialized work ethic stereotypes on attitudes toward welfare. We hypothesized that work ethic stereotypes shape both people’s attitudes toward welfare and their perceptions of who benefits from these policies. Consistent with hypotheses, when the demographic composition of welfare recipients was majority Black (vs. White), participants thought recipients were lazier and were less positive to welfare programs and policies (Study 1). Describing welfare recipients as hardworking (vs. no information control) mitigated this effect, even when the demographic composition of welfare recipients was majority Black (Study 2). Finally, we investigated whether work ethic stereotypes shape both attitudes toward welfare and spontaneous mental images of recipients. Images generated when participants were asked to envision hardworking (vs. lazy) recipients were rated by a separate sample as more representative of White Americans and garnered more support for providing welfare benefits (Study 3).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1155-1164
Number of pages10
JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science
Volume12
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

Keywords

  • intergroup relations
  • political psychology
  • prejudice/stereotyping
  • social cognition

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

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