Words on Poverty: Preliminary Research Results in Italy

This research delves into the causal attributions and societal perceptions concerning poverty and wealth, aiming to enhance our understanding of public perceptions and advocate for effective, consensus-based interventions. Analyzing data from a 2009 survey involving 2,000 individuals in Italy, we utilized Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify three distinct components of causal attributions associated with the conditions of poverty and wealth: internal, external, and metaphysical factors. Subsequent analyses revealed meaningful correlations between these attributions and various socio-demographic variables, including income, age, educational attainment, and employment status. Further, we explored participants’ perceptions of impoverishment, examining how they attribute causes of poverty and wealth either to themselves or others, and assessed their attributional style. This comparative analysis aimed to uncover any potential links between how respondents perceive these phenomena and their placement within broader socio-economic classifications. By investigating these relationships, our study contributes to the body of knowledge on societal attitudes towards economic disparities, offering insights that could inform the development of targeted and widely supported policy interventions.