Leiden University Student Repository

Čović, Emanuel (2026)

Political Affiliation and Views on Unconditional Cash Transfer Programs: Exploring the Relationship between Political Affiliation and Support for Unconditional Cash Transfers

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) are promising interventions to alleviate poverty and its consequences. However, the implementation of UCTs often fails, due to limited political support from voters. This study explores the link between political affiliation and support for UCTs, and how framing UCTs to emphasize recipients' deservingness might influence this relationship. In an online survey of 597 UK adults, participants were asked about their political affiliation and randomly assigned to either a control or experimental frame. The experimental frame highlighted families, societal benefits, and financial need while the control frame only emphasized financial need. Results show that the more left-leaning individuals were, the more likely they were to support UCTs, while the more right-leaning participants were, the less likely they were to support UCTs. The framing of the UCT in the experimental condition versus the control condition did not significantly affect willingness to...Show moreUnconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) are promising interventions to alleviate poverty and its consequences. However, the implementation of UCTs often fails, due to limited political support from voters. This study explores the link between political affiliation and support for UCTs, and how framing UCTs to emphasize recipients' deservingness might influence this relationship. In an online survey of 597 UK adults, participants were asked about their political affiliation and randomly assigned to either a control or experimental frame. The experimental frame highlighted families, societal benefits, and financial need while the control frame only emphasized financial need. Results show that the more left-leaning individuals were, the more likely they were to support UCTs, while the more right-leaning participants were, the less likely they were to support UCTs. The framing of the UCT in the experimental condition versus the control condition did not significantly affect willingness to support levels and no significant interaction between political affiliation and framing was found. This study enhances understanding of the relationship between political affiliation and views on poverty alleviation policies, highlighting the challenge of garnering public support for UCTs.Show less

Author

Čović, Emanuel

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Economic & Consumer Psychology

Supervisors

M. Stallen, Ph.D.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en