scholarly journals A Network-Based Explanation of Perceived Inequality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Schulz ◽  
Daniel Mayerhoffer ◽  
Anna Gebhard

Across income groups and countries, the public perception of economic inequality and many other macroeconomic variables such as inflation or unemployment rates is spectacularly wrong. These misperceptions have far-reaching consequences, as it is perceived inequality, not actual inequality informing redistributive preferences. The prevalence of this phenomenon is independent of social class and welfare regime, which suggests the existence of a common mechanism behind public perceptions. We propose a network-based explanation of perceived inequality building on recent advances in random geometric graph theory. The literature has identified several stylised facts on how individual perceptions respond to actual inequality and how these biases vary systematically along the income distribution. Our generating mechanism can replicate all of them simultaneously. It also produces social networks that exhibit salient features of real-world networks; namely, they cannot be statistically distinguished from small-world networks, testifying to the robustness of our approach. Our results, therefore, suggest that homophilic segregation is a promising candidate to explain inequality perceptions with strong implications for theories of consumption behaviour.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Seale ◽  
Anita E. Heywood ◽  
Julie Leask ◽  
Meru Sheel ◽  
David N. Durrheim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background As immunisation program launches have previously demonstrated, it is essential that careful planning occurs now to ensure the readiness of the public for a COVID-19 vaccine. As part of that process, this study aimed to understand the public perceptions regarding a future COVID-19 vaccine in Australia. Methods A national cross-sectional online survey of 1420 Australian adults (18 years and older) was undertaken between 18 and 24 March 2020. The statistical analysis of the data included univariate and multivariable logistic regression model analysis. Results Respondents generally held positive views towards vaccination. Eighty percent (n = 1143) agreed with the statement that getting myself vaccinated for COVID-19 would be a good way to protect myself against infection. Females (n = 614, 83%) were more likely to agree with the statement than males (n = 529, 78%) (aOR = 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–1.8); P = 0.03), while 91% of those aged 70 years and above agreed compared to 76% of 18–29-year-olds (aOR = 2.3 (95% CI:1.2–4.1); P = 0.008). Agreement was also higher for those with a self-reported chronic disease (aOR = 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–2.0); P = 0.04) and among those who held private health insurance (aOR = 1.7 (95% CI: 1.3–2.3); P < 0.001). Beyond individual perceptions, 78% stated that their decision to vaccinate would be supported by family and friends. Conclusion This study presents an early indication of public perceptions towards a future COVID-19 vaccine and represents a starting point for mapping vaccine perceptions. To support an effective launch of these new vaccines, governments need to use this time to understand the communities concerns and to identify the strategies that will support engagement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 1146-1166
Author(s):  
Trish McCulloch ◽  
Stephen Webb

Abstract This article reports on findings of a government-funded research project which set out to understand what the public think about social services in Scotland. The authors were particularly keen to examine issues of legitimacy, trust and licence to operate for social services as they are framed in public perceptions. Drawing on a national online survey of 2,505 nationally representative adults, the findings provide the first and largest empirical data set on public perceptions of social services in Scotland. Data analysis occurred in two stages and employed descriptive statistical measurement and cross-tabulation analysis. The findings indicate that, overall, people in Scotland are positive about social services and the value of their impact on society. Furthermore, they believe that social services perform a valuable public role. These findings are significant for debates surrounding social services and suggest that the Scottish public has a more positive view of social services than social service workers and welfare institutions typically perceive. The findings demonstrate the need to develop a more theoretically rich understanding of the relationships between public perception, legitimacy and social licence in social services, including attention to co-productive models of engagement.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Aditya Majdi

Public perception of immigration content at the TPI East Jakarta Class I Immigration Office is very important in determining the quality of information and understanding of immigration provided to the public by focusing on social media Instagram. With some literacy regarding public perceptions it can produce a public view of immigration content that has been disseminated through social media Instagram TPI Class I Immigration Office, East Jakarta. This can be used as study and learning material in seeing some of the shortcomings that must be addressed by the TPI East Jakarta Class I Immigration Office regarding public perceptions of immigration content. With the descriptive qualitative research method, it explains that there are still gaps or shortcomings of immigration content disseminated through social media Instagram TPI Class I Immigration Office, East Jakarta. So it is very necessary to make several further research studies related to public perceptions of immigration content so as to harmonize understanding between the information provider and the recipient of the information.  


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Restu Lanjari ◽  
Anis Kairunisa

Soreng dance is a kind of populist dance in the village Lemahireng. Dance Soreng describe the morale of the troops brave choice soldiers prepared for war games. Issues examined in this study are: Public perception of the Dance in the Village Lemahireng Soreng Bawen District of Semarang District. Goals to be achieved in this research is to determine the public perception in the village Lemahireng Bawen District of Semarang District and to determine the measures to be undertaken by the Department of Education and Culture. This study uses qualitative research methods and conduct research with a sociological approach method. Data were analyzed using data reduction, data presentation and conclusion. The results showed that of some perceptions obtained from the community about Tari Soreng. Perception is not present in the community to support children age (12-17 years) and younger age (17-25 years) and that support tends society in old age (25-85 years). Factors that affect the public perception of dance in the village Soreng Lemahireng Bawen District of Semarang District is the background for the birth of the perception of the community as a high level of education makes way people view more open and modern. The effort to do Office of Education and Culture of Semarang District is to provide guidance Dance Soreng should start with their own community in their respective regions, also carried out by a group of community Soreng kridho Wargo budhoyo, one form of effective formation is to hold a festival or competition. The conclusions of the study are: Problems sector in the public perception depends on your viewpoint and how to view an art. Dance Soreng perception of change in different elements of society Lemahireng village along with the advancement of age. Suggestions for the Education and Culture District of Semarang, to further maximize conservation efforts in the utilization of Dance Soreng in science and tourism. The younger generation is expected to be more easily studied dance Soreng and is expected to preserve and develop it.


Author(s):  
Yurnal Yurnal ◽  
Anis Shafika Binti Saiful Adli

The purpose of this study was to describe public perceptions of people’s housing programs for handling slums in Malaysia. Malaysia has begun organizing and fostering communities that have lived in slums since 1998 in the 'slum-free Malaysia vision 2005' program, and today Malaysia can be said to have successfully resolved slums, through public housing programs. The type of research used is this research is descriptive qualitative, using accidental sampling as sampling technique. Data collection methods used are interview and documentation methods, with research instruments in the form of interview guidelines. The results showed that the community strongly agreed with the existence of The People’s Housing Program (PPR), especially for the lower middle class and poor people in Malaysia. This program is able to realize the dream of the poor to be able to have a place to live that is suitable for living with family. Furthermore, the program itself is acknowledged by the community as being able to deal with slum settlements in Malaysia, and the poor who are biased in occupying slum areas voluntarily move to the houses provided by this PPR. So, people's perception of the Public Housing Program is very supportive especially to deal with slums in Malaysia.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Smith ◽  
Lorraine Warren

PurposeHumour and, in particular, jokes have received little serious academic scrutiny in the entrepreneurship literature to date. To address this, the purpose of this paper is to examine publicly available jokes about entrepreneurs to establish what such jokes tell us about how humour, particularly entrepreneur jokes shapes public perceptions of entrepreneurial identity. This is important because humour may be an integral part of an individual's entrepreneurial identity. The authors thus contribute to understandings of the complex nature of entrepreneurial identity and how public perceptions of humour influence such by encapsulating negative public perception of entrepreneurs which may act as a de-legitimisation mechanism.Design/methodology/approachFrom a representative sample of entrepreneur jokes located on the web using netnographic techniques, the authors apply a multi-disciplinary framework to analyse the material and its messages to establish how such jokes shape public perceptions.FindingsThe findings suggest that jokes convey a pejorative message about how entrepreneurs are perceived by the public with the content and message of the jokes being negative and derogatory. Common themes contained in the punchlines include – criminality, greed, dishonesty, hubris, stupidity, misfortune, ridicule and deviousness – all of which may de-legitimise generic entrepreneurial identity. In the process, the authors uncovered liminal aspects of joke telling and consumption in that the perception of jokes about entrepreneurs relate to the time and context in which the joke is told given that situational cleverness is a key facet of such jokes. In addition, the authors discuss variations across jokes.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors discuss learning outcomes for future research and potential future studies into humour in an entrepreneurial context.Originality/valueThis study places humour and joking on the research stage, making an incremental contribution. The authors add to the literature on the use of entrepreneurial humour and in particular in relation to how jokes influence public perception of entrepreneurs. From the data collected, the authors develop some fresh insights into the variation and range of entrepreneurship related jokes accessible online.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 792-816
Author(s):  
Jesse Michel ◽  
Sushruth Reddy ◽  
Rikhav Shah ◽  
Sandeep Silwal ◽  
Ramis Movassagh

Abstract Many real-world networks are intrinsically directed. Such networks include activation of genes, hyperlinks on the internet and the network of followers on Twitter among many others. The challenge, however, is to create a network model that has many of the properties of real-world networks such as power-law degree distributions and the small-world property. To meet these challenges, we introduce the Directed Random Geometric Graph (DRGG) model, which is an extension of the random geometric graph model. We prove that it is scale-free with respect to the indegree distribution, has binomial outdegree distribution, has a high clustering coefficient, has few edges and is likely small-world. These are some of the main features of aforementioned real-world networks. We also empirically observed that word association networks have many of the theoretical properties of the DRGG model.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 550
Author(s):  
Sally Commins

In today’s digital age, individuals, companies, and entire industries have never been more exposed and publicly answerable for any actions or planned developments they may take. This has become particularly apparent in the case of Australia’s CSG industry. Community and broader public perception of the industry is, for the most part, unfortunately unfavourable—why is this? The present global transparency agenda, a phenomenon that is witnessed in many other emerging industries, is incredibly susceptible to misinformation. Any individual, through accessible mediums such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube can create a popular grassroots movement in an instant, which is often embraced by the public without any appropriate critique. How does an industry combat misinformation? How do industries tackle the issue of a public so willing to embrace a negative perception of an emerging industry without the normal processes of analysis and examination? This extended abstract offers insight about the mindset of these communities througha qualitative analysis of public perceptions of the CSG industry, practical advice about how to most effectively communicate your company’s message to the industry, and an insight about how communities consume their media and how this is changing.


Author(s):  
Giulia Motta Zanin ◽  
Eleonora Gentile ◽  
Alessandro Parisi ◽  
Danilo Spasiano

Governments faced with the spread of COVID-19 pandemic are adopting strict and severe mitigation measures to influence people’s behaviors. Public perception of health risk plays a key role in the adoption of these actions, in people’s feelings, and in their daily habits. To support decision makers from international to local levels to face with future sanitary emergencies, this study aims at investigating Italian public perceptions of health risk. To this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and administered within the period of Italian COVID-19 lockdown and quarantine to almost 9000 citizens in Italy and abroad. The obtained results highlight a significative influence that mass media play on both the level of knowledge and the feelings of the respondents. The findings also point out future variations of some perceived behaviors consequent to the COVID-19 outbreak.


2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 42-45
Author(s):  
Heidi Fishpaw

This article describes and analyzes research that I carried out in the context of a collaborative effort to market and plan events around a mobile exhibit on the immigrant experience in Prince George's County, Maryland. The project aimed to shine light on and tease out the factors that play a role in public perception of immigrants and immigration as well as to understand, in the first place, what the range of public perceptions is. I participated in this project as an intern for the Anthropology of the Immigrant Life Course Research Program (2010) of the University of Maryland, College Park's Department of Anthropology. I focused on understanding how the public imagines the immigrant community in Prince George's County and the public discourse about immigration as an issue more broadly.


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