Abstract
A clarification of the effects of unemployment on political participation attitudes and behaviors is developed by contrasting the effect of unemployment experience across categories of socioeconomic status. Data on employed and unemployed heads of household are drawn from the 1976 University of Michigan national presidential election survey. The results indicate both main and interaction effects. Regardless of employment status, lower socioeconomic status respondents are less committed to voting, feel less efficacious, are less interested in politics, and are less politically active than persons of higher status. However, participation attitudes and behaviors are more adversely affected by unemployment experience among those of lower than higher status. Among higher status respondents, attitudes toward self (i.e., feelings of efficacy) and political interest—but not political activity or attitude toward the importance of participation—are altered by unemployment.
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Scott, W.J., Acock, A.C. Socioeconomic status, unemployment experience, and political participation: A disentangling of main and interaction effects. Polit Behav 1, 361–381 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00989809
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00989809