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Patterns of Welfare Attitudes in the Australian Population

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  • Timothy P Schofield
  • Peter Butterworth
Abstract
The study of community attitudes toward welfare and welfare recipients is an area of increasing interest. This is not only because negative attitudes can lead to stigmatization and discrimination, but because of the relevance of social attitudes to policy decisions. We quantify the attitudes toward welfare in the Australian population using attitude data from a nationally representative survey (N = 3243). Although there was broad support for the social welfare system, negative attitudes are held toward those who receive welfare benefits. Using canonical correlation analysis we identify multivariate associations between welfare attitudes and respondent demographic characteristics. A primary attitudinal dimension of welfare positivity was found amongst those with higher levels of education, life instability, and personal exposure to the welfare system. Other patterns of negative welfare attitudes appeared to be motivated by beliefs that the respondent’s personal circumstances indicate their deservingness. Moreover, a previously unidentified and unconsidered subset of respondents was identified. This group had positive attitudes toward receiving government benefits despite having no recent experience of welfare. They did, however, possess many of the characteristics that frequently lead to welfare receipt. These results provide insights into not only how attitudinal patterns segment across the population, but are of relevance to policy makers considering how to align welfare reform with community attitudes.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy P Schofield & Peter Butterworth, 2015. "Patterns of Welfare Attitudes in the Australian Population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0142792
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142792
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Hatzenbuehler, M.L. & Phelan, J.C. & Link, B.G., 2013. "Stigma as a fundamental cause of population health inequalities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(5), pages 813-821.
    3. Anonymous, 2014. "Introduction to the Issue," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 109-110, August.
    4. Stuber, Jennifer & Schlesinger, Mark, 2006. "Sources of stigma for means-tested government programs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 933-945, August.
    5. repec:bla:ausecr:v:41:y:2008:i:2:p:200-214 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Femke Roosma & John Gelissen & Wim Oorschot, 2013. "The Multidimensionality of Welfare State Attitudes: A European Cross-National Study," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 235-255, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jialiang Cui & Vanessa Hoi Mei Cheung & Wenjie Huang & Wan Sang Kan, 2022. "Mental Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Women Receiving the Comprehensive Social Security Allowance in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    2. Richiardi, Matteo & Vella, Melchior, 2024. "Mind vs matter: economic and psychologic determinants of take-up rates of social benefits in the UK," Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis Working Paper Series CEMPA6/24, Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.

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