scholarly journals The Misperception of Racial Economic Inequality

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 899-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Kraus ◽  
Ivuoma N. Onyeador ◽  
Natalie M. Daumeyer ◽  
Julian M. Rucker ◽  
Jennifer A. Richeson
Keyword(s):  
Economic Inequality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Willful Ignorance ◽  
Racial Wealth Gap ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Wealth Gap ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
New Evidence

Racial economic inequality is a foundational feature of the United States, yet many Americans appear oblivious to it. In the present work we consider the psychology underlying this collective willful ignorance. Drawing on prior research and new evidence from a nationally representative sample of adults ( N = 1,008), we offer compelling evidence that Americans vastly underestimate racial economic inequality, especially the racial wealth gap. In particular, respondents thought that the Black–White wealth gap was smaller, by around 40 percentage points in 1963 and around 80 percentage points in 2016, than its actual size. We then consider the motivational, cognitive, and structural factors that are likely to contribute to these misperceptions and suggest directions for future research to test these ideas. Importantly, we highlight the implications of our collective ignorance of racial economic inequality and the challenge of creating greater accuracy in perceptions of these racial economic disparities, as well as outline the steps policymakers might take to create messages on this topic that effectively promote equity-enhancing policies. We close with an appeal to psychological science to at least consider, if not center, the racial patterning of these profound economic gaps.

scholarly journals The Misperception of Racial Economic Inequality

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Kraus ◽  
Ivuoma Ngozi Onyeador ◽  
Natalie M Daumeyer ◽  
Julian Rucker ◽  
Jennifer Richeson
Keyword(s):  
Economic Inequality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Willful Ignorance ◽  
Racial Wealth Gap ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Wealth Gap ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
New Evidence

Racial economic inequality is a foundational feature of the United States, yet many Americans appear oblivious to it. The present work considers the psychology underlying this collective willful ignorance. Drawing on prior research and new evidence from a nationally representative sample of adults (N = 1,008), we offer compelling evidence that Americans vastly underestimate racial economic inequality, especially the racial wealth gap. In particular, respondents thought that the Black-White wealth gap was smaller, by around 40 percentage points in 1963 and around 80 percentage points in 2016, than its actual size. We then consider the motivational, cognitive, and structural factors that are likely to contribute to these misperceptions and suggest directions for future research to test these ideas. Importantly, we highlight the implications of our collective ignorance of racial economic inequality, the challenge of creating greater accuracy in perceptions of these racial economic disparities, as well as outline the steps policymakers might take to create messages on this topic that effectively promote equity-enhancing policies. We close with an appeal to psychological science to at least consider, if not center, the racial patterning of these profound economic gaps.

scholarly journals The COVID Connection: Pandemic Anxiety, COVID-19 Comprehension, and Digital Confidence

2021 ◽  
pp. 000276422110031
Author(s):  
Laura Robinson ◽  
Jeremy Schulz ◽  
Øyvind N. Wiborg ◽  
Elisha Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Models ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Digital Inequality ◽  
Partner Status ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
Nationally Representative

This article presents logistic models examining how pandemic anxiety and COVID-19 comprehension vary with digital confidence among adults in the United States during the first wave of the pandemic. As we demonstrate statistically with a nationally representative data set, the digitally confident have lower probability of experiencing physical manifestations of pandemic anxiety and higher probability of adequately comprehending critical information on COVID-19. The effects of digital confidence on both pandemic anxiety and COVID-19 comprehension persist, even after a broad range of potentially confounding factors are taken into account, including sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, metropolitan status, and partner status. They also remain discernable after the introduction of general anxiety, as well as income and education. These results offer evidence that the digitally disadvantaged experience greater vulnerability to the secondary effects of the pandemic in the form of increased somatized stress and decreased COVID-19 comprehension. Going forward, future research and policy must make an effort to address digital confidence and digital inequality writ large as crucial factors mediating individuals’ responses to the pandemic and future crises.

Longitudinal Pathways to Influenza Vaccination Vary With Socio-Structural Disadvantages

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bita Fayaz Farkhad ◽  
Alexander Karan ◽  
Dolores Albarracín
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Vaccination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Vaccination Knowledge ◽  
Lower Educational Attainment

Abstract Background Although influenza vaccination can prevent influenza-related deaths, uptake remains low, particularly in disadvantaged populations. Purpose A theoretical model of psychological pathways to vaccination accounting for the direct and moderating role of socio-structural factors was tested. The study sought to understand the joint contributions of psychological (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and intention) and socio-structural factors (i.e., income, education, and insurance) to influenza vaccination, prospectively. Methods A nationally representative empaneled sample of over 3,000 U.S. adults answered questions about vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and intentions, as well as actual vaccination across five timepoints from September 2018 to May 2019. Socio-structural factors were examined as moderators. Results Findings revealed strong positive associations between knowledge and attitudes, attitudes and intentions, as well as intentions and subsequent vaccination. Importantly, health insurance moderated the associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination, such that those without insurance had weaker associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination. In addition, education moderated the path from knowledge to attitude and from intentions to vaccination, such that people with lower educational attainment had weaker associations between knowledge and attitudes and between intentions and vaccination. Conclusions Socio-structural factors act as barriers to the influence of knowledge on attitudes, attitudes on intentions, and intentions on behavior. Future research needs to be mindful of the specific paths disrupted by social disadvantages and examine ways to intervene to decrease those effects.

Structural Change and Competition in the United States Tire Industry, 1920–1937

1986 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael French
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Oligopolistic Competition ◽  
Business Policy ◽  
Tire Industry ◽  
Competition And Cooperation ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Production Industry

In this case study, Dr. French examines the responses to overcapacity in a mass production industry and traces the development of oligopolistic competition. Previous studies have emphasized technology and the growth of “big business,” but here the author argues that the structure of the U.S. tire industry must be understood in terms of large, medium, and small firms. He finds, moreover, that the extent of competition and cooperation was significantly influenced by the nature of the tire market. Dr. French provides new evidence on the relationships between structural factors and the dynamics of business policy, and points to the need for a more comprehensive account of the evolution and nature of oligopolistic competition.

scholarly journals Males’ Ability to Report Their Partner’s Contraceptive Use at Last Sex in a Nationally Representative Sample: Implications for Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Evaluations

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 711-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Garbers ◽  
Roberta Scheinmann ◽  
Melanie A. Gold ◽  
Marina Catallozzi ◽  
Lawrence House ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sexual History ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Vaginal Sex ◽  
Multivariable Analyses ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Sex Partner

Addressing and enabling the role of males in contraceptive choices may facilitate efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy rates and disparities in the United States, but little is known about males’ ability to report their partners’ contraceptive use. Data from the 2011-2013 National Survey of Family Growth from 2,238 males aged 15 to 44 years who had vaginal sex with a noncohabiting or nonmarital partner and were not seeking pregnancy were examined to tabulate the proportion of males able to report whether their partner used a specific contraceptive method use at last sex (PCM) by sociodemographic and sexual history characteristics. Logistic regression was used to assess odds of being unable to report PCM, adjusting for age and sexual history factors. Most (95.0%) were able to report PCM, with no difference by age group (chi-square = 7.27, p = .281) in unadjusted analyses. Males with a new sex partner (14.8% of the sample), compared with those with an established sex partner, had significantly higher odds of being unable to report PCM in bivariate (11.7% vs. 3.7%, chi-square = 39.39, p < .001) and multivariable (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.17, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.74, 5.65]) analyses. Those whose last sexual encounter was more than 3 months ago also had higher odds of being unable to report in bivariate ( OR: 1.74, 95% CI [1.05, 2.87]) and multivariable analyses (AOR: 2.04, 95% CI [1.04, 4.03]). Most men were able report PCM, but reporting was significantly lower among men with new sex partners. To inform future research and evaluation relying on male report, validation studies comparing male report with partner report, specifically among new couples, are needed.

scholarly journals Do Racial Disparities in Private Transfers Help Explain the Racial Wealth Gap? New Evidence From Longitudinal Data

Demography ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 949-974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Signe-Mary McKernan ◽  
Caroline Ratcliffe ◽  
Margaret Simms ◽  
Sisi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Racial Wealth Gap ◽  
Wealth Gap ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Private Transfers

scholarly journals Experiences of Older Adults During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: An Initial Exploration of Nationally Representative Data at the Intersection of Gender and Race

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110482
Author(s):  
Takashi Yamashita ◽  
Wonmai Punksungka ◽  
Samuel Van Vleet ◽  
Abigail Helsinger ◽  
Phyllis Cummins
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gender And Race ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Project Data ◽  
Older Populations

Little is known about the overall experiences and feelings of diverse older populations during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. To provide the baseline information for future research and policy, this study analyzed the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 project data ( n = 1782). More than 70% of older adults reported the following activities: watching TV (98%), reading (90%), using a computer and the internet (83%), gardening (82%), walking (75%), baking and cooking (73%), and praying (73%). Volunteering and attending community groups, which are known to benefit well-being, were unpopular (less than 8%). During the pandemic, older adults were generally satisfied with their lives, but more than half of them were concerned about their own health, family’s health, and future prospects. Our study also showed the differences in the experiences and feelings by gender and race as well as the intersection of gender and race in the United States.

Sleep health in U.S. adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett Hisler ◽  
Jean Twenge
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Sleep Health ◽  
The Past ◽  
Falling Asleep ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Nationally Representative

Understanding how health has changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to reducing and recovering from the pandemic. This study focused on how sleep health in the United States may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep duration and number of days in the past week with difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and not feeling rested in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults collected before the COVID-19 outbreak (2018 National Health Interview Survey, n = 19,433) was compared to the same measures in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults collected during the COVID-19 outbreak (2020 Luc.id, n = 2,059). Sleep duration was slightly shorter in 2020 than 2018 (d = -.05). Moreover, the prevalence of insufficient sleep duration (RR = 1.20) and the number of days with difficulty falling asleep (d = .54), difficulty staying asleep (d =.36), and not feeling rested (d = .14) was greater in 2020 than 2018. Twice as many people in 2020 reported experiencing at least one night of difficulty falling asleep (RR = 1.95) or staying asleep (RR = 1.75). Adults younger than 60 and those who belonged to an Asian racial group had larger differences than other age and racial groups between 2018 and 2020. Thus, sleep health in U.S. adults was worse in 2020 than in 2018, particularly in younger and Asian adults. Findings highlight sleep as target in future research and interventions seeking to understand and reduce the effects of the spread of COVID-19.

The Suppressive Impacts of Voter Identification Requirements

2020 ◽  
pp. 073112142096662
Author(s):  
Jennifer Darrah-Okike ◽  
Nathalie Rita ◽  
John R. Logan
Keyword(s):  
Voting Rights ◽  
The United States ◽  
Suppressive Effect ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Voter Identification ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Identification Documents ◽  
Voter Suppression ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Voter Id

Political observers argue that the United States is in a contemporary era of voter suppression. We study one mechanism that may limit voter participation, the requirement to show identification documents at the polls—voter ID policy. Voting rights advocates have raised concerns about disparate impacts of voter restrictions on racial minorities. However, past studies have reported conflicting results. Analyzing nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey across nine election years, we show that voter ID policies, and especially “strict photo ID policies,” have a suppressive effect on participation. Voter ID requirements can reduce the probability of self-reported voting by as much as four percentage points, enough to swing a national election. While we found suppressive effects of ID policies for all racial groups, we show that Latino citizens face disproportionately negative suppressive effects of strict ID policies.

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