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Bringing the Power of Psychology to the Fight Against Deep Poverty

Bringing the Power of Psychology to the Fight Against Deep Poverty

The United States is a nation of great wealth, but far too many Americans live in deep poverty. Deep poverty is having an income half of the federal poverty line or below ($6,244 or less for a single person; $12,547 or less for a family of four), and 18.5 million people in the US lived in deep poverty in 2017.1 Although the US has an extensive history of poverty, as well as policies to address economic hardship2, welfare reform in 1996 undercut the safety net programs that protected the most vulnerable Americans,3 and attempts to erode them further continue today. As a result, the experience of deep poverty is now increasingly common.4


Homelessness, like drug addiction, does not discriminate. I come from an upper-middle class white suburbia family. I spent twelve years in Catholic school… If homelessness can happen to me, surely it can happen to anyone. And there’s not one thing that… I did or didn’t do that caused me to be homeless. It’s not that first drug, or it wasn’t that first class that I skipped or missed, or the first ticket I received or my first run-in with the law… I couldn’t tell you what it was that caused me to be homeless, honestly. But like I said, if it could happen to me… or those like me, cause there’s plenty of them out there, it can happen to anyone. That’s what I would like people to know.
—Demographic 19

Psychologists have contributed greatly to the understanding of poverty in general and deep poverty in particular5. Poverty is dehumanizing6 and physically and psychologically harmful to children7 and adults,8 with negative effects that accumulate over time.9 Poverty results from scarce resources and complex systems of oppression rather than “bad choices” or “poor character.”10 Too often the strength and resilience of people experiencing poverty are obscured by the multi-layered, complex challenges they face.11

The most striking to me is that there’s — that you’re always experiencing at least a low level of background stress… There’s always some low level of anxiety or stress - it may be about your plans for… where you’re gonna stay that night, or where you’re gonna eat, or… even when do I pull off the road, up along the highway… There’s always this kind of low level… feeling of vulnerability.
—Demographic 19

Cumulative Disadvantage

Exiting deep poverty is especially difficult because of extreme material hardship, social exclusion and cumulative disadvantage.12 Cumulative disadvantage refers to the tendency of disadvantages or risk factors to cluster together or accumulate, shaping short- and long-term outcomes across the lifespan. As risk factors and their effects accumulate, they compromise health and well-being, reduce opportunities and life chances, and heighten the likelihood of experiencing poverty that is extreme, stable and chronic.13 Although there is less research in psychology on deep poverty specifically, research indicates that the effects mentioned above are especially severe for those living in deep poverty.


At first it's hard. Then you start accepting. It becomes a way of life…And your morale, your self esteem...and just your whole outlook on the--on the world and life is...it's nil. You just kinda give up
—Demographic 4

Psychologists regularly work with and in communities, including those that are already committed to the fight against deep poverty, as well as those who could be encouraged to engage in this important work. As such, psychologists are poised to collaborate with others who are seeking to change the narrative of deep poverty from one that blames individuals for their situations to one that recognizes the complexity and difficulty of escaping deep poverty.14 Psychology’s unique contribution to changing this narrative is grounded in our ability to examine beliefs about poverty, wealth and inequality;15 understand how cognitive biases affect the behavior of those in (and out of) poverty;16 and illuminate the role played by public policies and other oppressive systems in blocking opportunity and perpetuating poverty.17

The counselors they still come talk to us and make us feel good and you know tell us to do our work, stay on track you know. Don’t do nothing crazy. You here to get your GED, you here to finish, whatever. They make you want to finish.
—Rural Opportunity Youth

Improving Existing Programs

Existing safety net programs are vital and lift people out of deep poverty,18 but would be more effective if implemented in a coordinated fashion. Moreover, data indicates a need for a two-generation approach that supports parents and children through the coordination of services.19 Because deep poverty is the result of intersecting systemic factors (e.g., access to housing, health care, food and living wages), the solution will necessitate coordinated efforts to change systems. Yet, the administrators of these programs rarely work in concert with each other.

In most like – I would say like 70% to 80% of every household – like you have different relatives that live with you – your auntie, uncle, or your grandparents. They all help pay for that one single household, and it’s also generational. So you pass it down. It keeps on, the cycle keeps on going.
—Urban Opportunity Youth, HI

Given the diverse areas of research and practice within the field of psychology, psychologists are uniquely situated to act as change agents in alleviating deep poverty and motivating others to do the same. The American Psychological Association’s Presidential Deep Poverty Initiative Workgroup (PDPI) has created a toolkit to help psychologists (1) use psychological science to explain the structural barriers and cognitive processes that lead to — and perpetuate — deep poverty, and (2) activate psychologists to share this knowledge with others who will also work to end deep poverty. In addition to activating psychologists and their communities, the PDPI believes that top-down policy solutions must address the complex factors that contribute to deep poverty. As such, the PDPI has drafted a “Resolution for Addressing Deep Poverty,” which calls for a federal strategic plan to end deep poverty in the United States (see toolkit for more details) and is working with APA staff to advance Congressional passage of this resolution.

The Deep Poverty Initiative Toolkit

Through this toolkit, psychologists will examine their own biases, attitudes and stigma towards those in deep poverty, including classism, racism, sexism and other forms of systemic oppression. Psychologists will consider how to engage with people in deep poverty and create partnerships with community organizations that advocate for people in deep poverty, incorporating psychologists’ unique skills and knowledge base. Psychologists will determine ways to empower people in deep poverty to have a voice in their community and advocate for systemic changes, including creating spaces for people in deep poverty to share their stories. Finally, the PDPI believes that everyone can do something to make a difference, whether the actions are small and sporadic or large and sustained, including advocating for system change through a federal strategic plan or similar state and community-based structural solutions. In doing so, psychologists bring the power of psychology to the fight against deep poverty.

Action guides to help psychologist advocates join the fight against deep poverty are listed below.

In-District Visit Action Guide

  • The In-District Visit Action Guide (PDF, 310KBopens in new window) provides psychologists with tips on how to be an advocate for change within their community through meeting with congressional representatives. This guide includes suggestions for setting up and preparing for the meeting, what to do during the meeting and what to do after the meeting.

Lived Experiences Townhall Action Guide

  • The Lived Experiences Townhall Action Guide (PDF, 180KB)opens in new window encourages psychologists and other mental/behavioral health providers, who work with people living in deep poverty, to implement town halls in their state and local communities. This guide outlines how to engage with community members with lived experiences and empower them to share their stories and insights on living in and reducing deep poverty.

 

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Footnotes

  1. As of this writing, the most recent US Census Bureau statistics on deep poverty are for 2017. Fontenot, K., Semega, J., & Kollar, M. (2018). U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-263, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017 , U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-263.pdfopens in new window
  2. Isenberg, N. (2016). White trash: The 400-year untold story of class in America . New York: Viking. See also Piven, F. F., & Cloward, R. (1971). Regulating the poor: The functions of public welfare . New York: Pantheon.
  3. Sherman, A. & Trisi, D. (2014). Deep Poverty Among Children Worsened in Welfare Law's First Decade . Retrieved from https://www.cbpp.org/research/deep-poverty-among-children-worsened-in-welfare-laws-first-decadeopens in new window . See also Ziliack, J. P. (2011). Recent Developments in Antipoverty Policies in the United States . Institute for Research on Poverty, Discussion, Paper no. 1396-11. Retrieved from https://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp139611.pdfopens in new window
  4. Edin, K. J., & Shafer, H. L. (2015). $2 a day: Living on almost nothing in America . New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
  5. Bullock, H. E., Lott, B., & Troung, S. V. (2011). SPSSI and poverty: Reflections at 75. Journal of Social Issues, 67 , 150–164. See also Lott, B. & Bullock, H. E. (2007). Psychology and economic justice: Personal, professional, and political intersections . Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  6. Lott, B. (2002). Cognitive and behavioral distancing from the poor. American Psychologist, 57 , 100-110. See also Desmond, M. (2016). Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City . New York: Broadway Books, Lankenau, S.E. (1999). Stronger than dirt: Public humiliation and status enhancement among panhandlers. Journal of contemporary ethnography, 28 , 3, 288-318, and Nicolas, G., & JeanBaptiste, V. (2001). Experiences of poor women on public assistance. Journal of Social Issues, 57 , 299–310
  7. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019). A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25246opens in new window . See also Destin, M., & Oyserman, D. (2009). From assets to school outcomes: How finances shape children's perceived possibilities and intentions. Psychological Science, 20 , 414-418, Ekono, M. M., Jiang, Y., & Smith, S. (2016). Young Children in Deep Poverty . New York: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University. Available: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED578993.pdfopens in new window
  8. Cudy, E., Venator, J., & Reeves, R. V. (2015). In a Land of Dollars: Deep Poverty and Its Consequences . Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/in-a-land-of-dollars-deep-poverty-and-its-consequences/opens in new window and Edelman, P. (2013). So Rich, So Poor: Why It Is So Hard To End Poverty in America . New York: The New Press.
  9. Dickerson, A., & Popli, G. K. (2016). Persistent poverty and children's cognitive development: Evidence from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 179 , 535-558. doi:10.1111/rssa.12128. See also Duncan, G., Ziol-Guest, K., & Kalil, A. (2010). Early childhood poverty and adult attainment, behavior, and health. Child Development, 81 , 292-311.
  10. Mullainathan, S. & Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why having too little means so much . New York: Times Books.
  11. But see examples like Hardaway, C., McLoyd, V. C., & Wood, D. (2012). Exposure to violence and socioemotional adjustment in low-income youth: An examination of protective factors. American Journal of Community Psychology, 49 , 112-126 and Luthar, S. S., & Eisenberg, N. (2017). Resilient adaptation among at-risk children: Harnessing science toward maximizing salutary environments. Child Development, 88 , 337-349. doi:10.1111/cdev.1273m
  12. Aron, L., Jacobson, W., & Turner, M. A. (2013). Addressing Deep and Persistent Poverty: A Framework for Philanthropic Planning and Investment . Retrieved from https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/24326/412983-Addressing-Deep-and-Persistent-Poverty-A-Framework-for-Philanthropic-Planning-and-Investment.PDFopens in new window . See also Sawhill, I. V., Winship, S., & Grannis, K. S. (2012). Pathways to the Middle Class: Balancing Personal and Public Responsibilities . Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/0920-pathways-middle-class-sawhill-winship.pdfopens in new window and Acs, G., & Martin, S. (2015, February 5). The promise of early interventions for improving socioeconomic outcomes of Black men. Retrieved from https://www.urban.org/research/publication/promise-early-interventions-improving-socioeconomic-outcomes-black-menopens in new window
  13. Yoshikawa, H., Aber, J. L., & Beardslee, W. R. (2012). The Effects of Poverty on the Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health of Children and Youth Implications for Prevention, American Psychologist, 67 (4), 272-284. doi:10.1037/a0028015. See also McLeod, J.D., Erving, C., & Caputo, J. (2014). Health inequalities. In J. McLeod, M., Schwalbe, and E.J. Lawler (Eds.), Handbook of the social psychology of inequality (pp. 715-742). New York, NY: Springer and Statement on Visit to the USA, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights (2017, December 15). Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22533&LangID=Eopens in new window
  14. The Opportunity Agenda (2015, September). Shifting the Narrative on Poverty . Retrieved from https://www.opportunityagenda.org/explore/resources-publications/shifting-narrative-poverty
  15. Bullock, H. E, Williams, W. R., & Limbert, W. M. (2003). Predicting support for policies: The impact of attributions and beliefs about inequality. Journal of Poverty, 7 , 35–56. See also Davidai, S., & Gilovich, T. (2015). Building a more mobile America—One income quintile at a time. Perspectives on Psychological Science , 10 , 60–71 and Day, M. V., & Fiske, S. T. (2017). Movin' on up? How perceptions of social mobility affect our willingness to defend the system. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 8 , 267–274.
  16. Daminger, A., Hayes, J., Barrows, A, & Wright, J. (2015, May). Poverty interrupted: Applying behavioral science to the context of chronic scarcity. Retrieved from https://www.ideas42.org/blog/project/poverty-interrupted/opens in new window
  17. Williams, W. R. (2019). Considering Carnegie's legacy in the time of Trump: A science and policy agenda for studying social class. Journal of Social Issues, 75 (1), 356-382. doi: 10.1111/josi.12303. See also Mistry, R. S., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2011). Family functioning and child development in the context of poverty. Prevention Researcher: Youth and Poverty, 18(4), 11-115. and West-Bey, N., Mendoza, M., & Bunts, W. (2018). Our Ground, Our Voices: Systems of Power and Young Women of Color. Retrieved from https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/publications/2018/12/2018_ourgroundourvoicesbrief.pdfopens in new window
  18. Sherman, A. & Trisi, D. (2014). Safety Net More Effective Against Poverty Than Previously Thought Correcting for Underreporting of Benefits Reveals Stronger Reductions in Poverty and Deep Poverty in All States . Retrieved from https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/5-6-15pov.pdfopens in new window
  19. Mcloyd, V. C., Kaplan, R., Purtell, K., & Huston, A. (2011). Assessing the effects of a work-based antipoverty program for parents on youth's future orientation and employment experiences. Child Development, 82 , 113-132.doi: 10.1111/j.467-8624.2010.01544.x. See also Aspen Institute (2013). Two generations, One future: Moving parents and children beyond poverty together . Retrieved from https://assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/uploads/files/content/docs/ascend/Ascend-Report-022012.pdfopens in new window
Date created: 2019

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