Stigma in Welfare Programs

Arbeitspapier

Stigma of welfare participation is important for policy and survey design, because it deters program take-up and increases misreporting. Stigma is also relevant to the literature on social image concerns, yet empirical evidence is scant because stigma is difficult to empirically identify. We use a novel approach to studying stigma by examining the relationship between program participation in a recipient's local network and underreporting program participation in surveys. We find a robust negative relationship and rule out explanations other than stigma. Stigma decreases when more peers engage in the stigmatized behavior and when such actions are less observable.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 15431

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Household Behavior and Family Economics: Other ; Network Formation and Analysis: Theory ; Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making‡ ; Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs ; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
• Subject: welfare stigma ; program participation ; social networks ; social image ; peer effects

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Celhay, Pablo ; Meyer, Bruce D. ; Mittag, Nikolas
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/263647
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET