Public Beliefs about the Causes of Homelessness

Abstract

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. Oxford University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Social Forces. AbstractUsing data from a survey of Nashville, Tennessee, residents, we show that public beliefs about the causes of homelessness emphasize structural forces and bad luck over individualistic factors. Our analysis also demonstrates: 1) the complex intrapersonal organization of these beliefs, 2) the degree to which they are influenced by one's social statuses, religious and political values, and exposure to homelessness, and 3) their implications for policy attitudes.

Homelessness in the United States: Assessing Changes in Prevalence and Public Opinion, 1993–2001

“…Effects found for education appear in conflict with those of Lee, Jones, and Lewis (1990) and Phelan et al (1995). It appears possible that respondents at higher levels of education may have expected that homeless individuals shared the same opportunities for advancement that they had, decreasing their awareness of possible structural or societal influences that may have contributed to an individual's becoming homeless.…”

“…Toro and McDonell (1992) found that younger and female respondents were more generally sympathetic regarding the homeless population, and were more aware of related structural factors. Examining effects of education, Phelan, Link, Stueve, and Moore (1995) found that better educated respondents expressed greater tolerance for homeless people, but less support for economic aid for them, while Lee, Jones, and Lewis (1990) noted that increased education predicted less support for a personal deficiency model of homelessness. Studies have also examined the effects of political party allegiance and income on attitudes towards homelessness, with varying results (Furnham, 1996;Toro & McDonell, 1992).…”

Adolescents’ understanding of poverty and the poor in rural Malaysia

“…Most studies were conducted in western societies (Shek & Ma, 2008) and input is needed from non-western countries to enhance our understanding of adolescents' view of poverty. We would also point out that most attribution of poverty studies used the term poverty generically (Furnham, 1982;Harper, 2003;Lee, Jones, & Lewis, 1990;Wilson, 1996). Since the poor fall into different categories (such as the homeless, the elderly, single parents, the rural poor and many more), there is a possibility that different respondents call up different images of the poor when responding to an attribution questionnaire.…”

Perceptions of Students about Younger and Older Men and Women who May Be Homeless

“…A. Lee, Jones, & Lewis, 1990). Common negative attitudes toward homelessness may be associated with the perceptions that homeless people panhandle (B.…”