How does stigma affect participation in the social safety net?
Project Summary
The stigma associated with poverty and, especially, the social safety net in the US has been well-documented in survey and qualitative literature. Yet, experimental evidence on its role in influencing take-up of government benefits programs is both mixed and limited. Through a series of large-scale, nationally representative survey experiments, The People Lab is developing a conceptual framework for considering the role of stigma in the social safety net. Specifically, we are quantifying the direct and indirect channels through which stigma may shape take-up of critical benefits – directly, by influencing beneficiary behavior, and indirectly, by affecting broader policy preferences for and design of benefits programs.
Why is this issue important?
Means-tested government benefits programs provide a critical safety net for low-income households and research shows they are highly effective at mitigating the effects of poverty. Yet, despite clear evidence of net benefits for those who participate, up to 50 percent of households do not utilize programs for which they are eligible. A growing literature documents the role of information, logistical, and psychological barriers that contribute to these take-up gaps. But while the pervasive stigma associated with poverty and, in particular, government benefits programs has been well-established, its role in shaping take-up of programs has been underexplored.
What are we doing?
In a series of large-scale, nationally representative online survey experiments, we are (a) developing and validating a scale for measuring stigma in the context of the social safety net; (b) quantifying the direct and indirect channels through which stigma can affect take-up; and (c) examining how different program design features causally impact the stigma associated with benefits.
What have we learned?
This project is ongoing. We expect that results will be available in 2026.