Attitudinal Predictors of Preferred Policy Options: Contrasting AFDC with Work Programs

Two studies were conducted in order to determine the attitudinal predictors of support for AFDC, work programs, and the option of the government playing no role in protecting the welfare of poor children whose families have no income. The first study evaluated this question in 362 students of Criminal Justice, Business, Urban Studies, and Public Administration at an urban university in Georgia. The second study evaluated the question in a telephone poll sample of 822 randomly sampled Georgians throughout the state. Majorities in both samples preferred work programs. In the student sample, all three choice groups were distinguishable on the variables of beliefs about the causes of poverty, the Work Ethic, concern over the widening gap between the rich and the poor, and belief that the government should play a role in protecting its citizen\u27s welfare. In the poll sample, those opting for no government role were distinguished from those choosing AFDC or work programs, although the latter two choice groups did not differ. A measure of attitude toward work programs was included in Study 1. This attitude measure was not correlated with the Work Ethic, although it did correlate with other predictor attitudes. Over 70% of both samples identified AFDC as the most expensive policy option. However, even among those who perceived work programs to be the more expensive option the bulk still preferred this option. Implications for sustaining public support for high quality work programs are generated