In an effort to understand common misconceptions regarding poverty, Group 3 conducted an eight question survey. The survey contained questions regarding gender, education, welfare, and the working poor. The survey also provided answers to each question. The answers offered in the survey were chosen by the group utilizing a culmination of the group's opinions of the poor, stereotypes surrounding poverty and the individualist and structuralist beliefs about the poor. Each group member surveyed 6 people, for a total of 36 participants. Participants were 18 males and 18 females between the ages of 18-24. Those questioned had their names kept anonymous. Of those surveyed, the majority were employed with the exception of 7. 23 of the participants were enrolled in college at the time of the survey as well. The participants completed the questionnaires in reference to their general views of the poor and were instructed to choose the answers that best represented their opinions.
Question one of the survey examines what factors people believe lead to an adult person becoming poor. Answers available for those surveyed included lack of education, poor parents, low I.Q. ,low wage employment and shortage of employment, the individual not working hard enough and "other"." For all of the answers offered throughout the survey we wanted to equally represent micro and macro viewpoints. The individualist explanation for poverty suggests the answers low I.Q., the person not working hard enough and lack of education. Structural theories for poverty would include low wage employment and shortage of employment. A more residual poverty explanation or a cyclical perspective of poverty would be the second choice: poor parents. One could argue people are in poverty due to an impoverished or underprivileged upbringing by people who were also raised without. The last answer provided was "other," because often people don't see the reasons behind a person's poverty being one distinct factor.
