Negative Attitudes Toward The Homeless Essay - 1174 Words

With homelessness effecting 2.3-3.5 million people within any given year, negative attitudes towards homeless individuals and homelessness in general are increasing. Many people view the homeless as smelly criminals, who may have some sort of mental disability, and are aggressive, dangerous beggars. States like Georgia and California hold, what we would consider, the â€Å"meanest† laws in regard to homelessness. Some include: an individual may be arrested for sleeping on a beach, sidewalk, rooftop, or alleyway, and an individual can be arrested for panhandling, even when they are seeking refuge from a disaster. These assumptions led to higher negative stereotypes which pulls the focal attention away from the actual issues of homeless individuals. This study looks to answer whether or not the negative attitudes toward the homeless can be changed? Christina Wisehart, Mark Whatley, and Deborah Briihl decided to study this by conducting an experiment that was measured, at the end , by survey. The recruited ninety-seven students from two undergraduate psychology courses at Valdosta State University. Once they arrived at the experiments location, no other information was told except where to meet, they were each given a packet that was labeled with an even or odd number. Each packet contained a consent form, a demographic form, and Attitudes Toward Homeless Inventory, and a free Chik-Fil-A coupon. Even numbers were to report to Ballroom B and odd numbers to Ballroom C. After readingShow MoreRelatedStudent s Perceptions Of Homeless Persons Essay886 Words   |  4 Pages Student’s Perceptions of Homeless Persons Of Different Ethnic or Racial Heritage Kevin Knox Missouri State University Summer 2015 Submitted to: Dr. Michelle Day Dr. Joan McClennen â€Æ' The life experience students in the human services field bring with them may affect their ability to interact with certain populations. These life experiences form the basis of each individual’s perceptions of certain situations, populations, or individuals. These perceptions may be influenced by their politicalRead MoreEssay Homelessness in Canada1214 Words   |  5 Pagesissue and how it is causing the homeless to not receive the help that they need. 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