POLITICAL IDENTIFICATION AND PERCEPTIONS OF HOMELESSNESS - ATTRIBUTEDCAUSALITY AND ATTITUDES ON PUBLIC-POLICY

The study investigated relationships between political orientation, ca usal perceptions of poverty, and attitudes toward government programs for the poor. The test sample of 200 women and 200 men mere recruited from introductory psychology classes. In support of hypotheses based o n previous research and Weiner's attribution-emotion-action theory, wh en compared with self-identified Democrats, self-identified Republican s (a) were significantly more inclined to attribute homelessness to in ternal vs external factors and (b) expressed significantly less favora ble attitudes toward publically funded programs for the homeless. Sex differences mere nonsignificant. Conceptual-empirical and methodologic al implications are discussed. Limitations on inferences from these da ta and directions for inquiry into the development of individual diffe rences in political cognitions and public policy attitudes are conside red.