The satisfaction-paradox, defined as the state of
being satisfied with objectively unsatisfactory living
conditions, represents a dysfunctional state of the poor
for both the government and individuals by creating long-term
poverty. Traditional rationales classify the reasons
for this phenomenon as conscious decisions of individuals
or shiftlessness and thereby results in material and social
costs associated with this phenomenenon for both the
individual and the government. This study undertakes a
first step to provide empirical evidence for a constructive
explanation of the satisfaction-paradox employing the
theory of learned helplessness.
A secondary analysis of the Hunger Factors Assessment
data set in Oregon (1986, 1988) was performed. The study
uses a newly developed theoretical model that incorporates
both the quality of life model, from which the
satisfaction-paradox evolves, as well as the learned
helplessness model, offered as one explanation of the
paradox. Criteria from the model were then defined by
measures in the data set to identify the group of "learned
helpless and satisfied poor".
Approximately 10 percent of the Oregon Emergency Food
Users have been identified as "learned helpless and
satisfied poor". The investigation of their socio-demographic
characteristics, in comparison to "not learned
helpless and dissatisfied poor", has described them as
rather more likely to be female, single, older, employed,
home owners or renters, living with others, and long-term
residents of Oregon. In these ways they seem to be more
settled then the poverty stereotype and more closely
resemble typical Oregon residents. However, like others in
poverty, they lack income and information (or resource)
networks.
Discriminant analysis was utilized to make a first
step towards early identification of the poor "at risk" of
learning helplessness by assessing their socio-demographic
characteristics. The resulting function includes these
variables: age of respondents, their employment status,
their gender, the fact that they receive welfare income,
their household equipment, their educational level, the
number of income sources, the length of residency, their
health status, household size, their homeownership, the
fact that they have health insurance and finally, the labor
potential of their households. It explains, in total, 48.3
percent of the difference between the two groups at a p-level
of 0.01 or less, a Chi-Square of 71.13 (dF = 14) and
a Wilk's Lambda of 0.76. Its predictive assignment of
learned helpless and satisfied poor was 12 percent higher
than a random assignment and 15 percent in the case of the
not learned helpless and dissatisfied poor.
The model, therefore, seems to be useful in
understanding a certain segment of the poor, but needs more
development research. A longitudinal, primary data set,
including psychological variables and refined
operationalization of the learned helplessness concept
would bring more detailed insight and practical
implications. However, it could be shown that an
individual attributing "failure" internally, and having
opportunity to experience failure and uncontrollability,
can enter the process of learning helplessness regardless
of former achievements and value dispositions. Causality
models to explain poverty should hence acknowledge both
micro- and macro-level effects and thus result in more
complex explanations and solutions than current models. / Graduation date: 1991
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/37826 |
| Date | 09 August 1990 |
| Creators | Schober, Brigitte I. |
| Contributors | Holyoak, Arlene |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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