Exclusion or compassion? : understanding attitudes towards poverty

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the cognitive and affective components of attitudes that people in Malta hold in relation to poverty and its attributions. Moreover, correlations between attitudes and attributions, as well as demographic differences and their attitude or attributions scores were examined. This was fulfilled through self-report standardised questionnaires administered over social media and a total of 280 responses from participants over 18 years old were gathered. The study found that a majority of participants held positive feelings and beliefs about the poor, that is, they displayed positive attitudes regarding the poor. This is consistent with the overall preference for external and cultural attributions to poverty. Ultimately, moderate statistically significant correlations between different attitudes and attributions was observed. Data analysis revealed significant differences in attitudes and attributions based on one’s age, region, nationality, employment status, marital status, religious beliefs, income, as well as the household ability to afford an annual holiday, a car, and unexpected financial expenses. The study relevance includes addressing the local research gap by being the first study to understand attitudes towards poverty in Malta, thereby contributing to psychological knowledge regarding poverty attitudes. The implications of this study refer to the opportunity to adapt interventions according to different demographic categories and to put pressure on policymakers to create more effective policies that support the poor. This research serves as a starting point for future studies to expand upon and incorporate additional elements.