TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Celhay, Pablo
AU  - Meyer, Bruce D.
AU  - Mittag, Nikolas
        TI  - Stigma in Welfare Programs
        PY  - 2022/Jul/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 15431
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp15431
        AB  - Stigma of welfare participation is important for policy and survey design, because it deters program take-up and increases misreporting. Stigma is also relevant to the literature on social image concerns, yet empirical evidence is scant because stigma is difficult to empirically identify. We use a novel approach to studying stigma by examining the relationship between program participation in a recipient's local network and underreporting program participation in surveys. We find a robust negative relationship and rule out explanations other than stigma. Stigma decreases when more peers engage in the stigmatized behavior and when such actions are less observable.
        KW  - welfare stigma
KW  - program participation
KW  - social networks
KW  - social image
KW  - peer effects
        ER  -