Work Orientations of the Poor and Income Maintenance

Attitudes towards work are compared between a non-poverty sample and a group of poor involved in an experimental income maintenance scheme. Two problems are examined. The first tests work orientation differences between the poor and the non-poor. The second assesses the supposed ‘work disincentive effect’ of income maintenance. Contrary to the ‘culture of poverty’ thesis and the logic underlying many policy efforts, it was found that the poor are strongly motivated to achieve through work. Male/female comparisons revealed that non-work tendencies are evident among the female poor. These, however, are attributed to their acceptance of different role expectations. It was also shown that over time the work orientations of the poor remained stable under conditions of guaranteed income support. The hypothesized ‘work disincentive effect’ of income maintenance was not supported.