Internal-External Causal Attributions and Perceived Government Responsibility for Need Provision

Abstract

This study examines whether locus and importance of causal attributions for poverty mediate effects of gender and political ideology on attitudes toward social welfare provision. The study also examines whether cultural differences moderate effects of causal attributions on attitudes toward social provision. Analyses of data from 14 cultures ( N = 4,018) showed a positive relationship between importance of external causes of poverty and support for social provision of basic needs and a negative relationship between the internal causes and the support for social provision. Political conservatives, in particular men, ascribed less responsibility to government for need provision than did liberals. The ideological differences were partially mediated by external and internal attributions, whereas gender differences were mediated by external attributions. Not only did culture moderate effects of causal attributions, cultural differences in support of social provision were also partially but extremely differently (e.g., United States vs. Ireland) mediated by causal attributions