ATTITUDINAL PREDICTORS OF PREFERRED POLICY OPTIONS - CONTRASTING AFDCWITH WORK PROGRAMS

Two studies were conducted in order to determine the attitudinal predi ctors of support for AFDC, work programs, and the option of the govern ment playing no role in protecting the welfare of poor children whose families have no income. The first study evaluated this question in 36 2 students of Criminal Justice, Business, Urban Studies, and Public Ad ministration at an urban university in Georgia. The second study evalu ated the question in a telephone poll sample of 822 randomly sampled G eorgians throughout the state. Majorities in both samples preferred wo rk programs. In the student sample, all three choice groups were disti nguishable on the variables of beliefs about the causes of poverty the Work Ethic, concern over the widening gap between the rich and the po ol; and belief that the government should play a role in protecting it s citizen's welfare. In the poll sample, those opting for no governmen t role were distinguished from those choosing AFDC or work programs, a lthough the latter two choice groups did not differ. A measure of atti tude toward work programs was included in Study 1. This attitude measu re was not correlated with the Work Ethic, although it did correlate w ith other predictor attitudes. Over 70% of both samples identified AFD C as the most expensive policy option. However; even among those who p erceived 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.