A new study found that many people who qualify for food assistance programs like SNAP don’t apply because they think others will judge them harshly. However, the research shows something surprising: most people actually don’t judge welfare recipients as negatively as they think. This disconnect—where people believe others are more judgmental than they really are—is a major reason eligible people miss out on billions of dollars in benefits they’re entitled to receive. The study tested whether correcting this misunderstanding could help more people apply for assistance.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Do people avoid applying for food assistance because they think the public will judge them unfairly, and is this fear based on reality?
  • Who participated: Multiple groups of study participants, including people eligible for SNAP benefits and general public samples, across five different studies
  • Key finding: People consistently believed others would judge welfare recipients much more harshly than those others actually do. This false belief about public judgment appears to discourage people from applying for benefits they qualify for.
  • What it means for you: If you or someone you know qualifies for food assistance, the stigma you fear may be much larger in your mind than in reality. Most people are actually more understanding than you might think. However, this study suggests that simply telling people this fact may not be enough to immediately increase applications.

The Research Details

Researchers conducted five separate studies to understand how people perceive stigma around welfare benefits. In the first study, they asked people to describe their immediate reactions to learning someone receives SNAP benefits, looking at seven different types of reactions: judgment, negativity about asking for help, pity, envy, willingness to help, happiness, and admiration. In studies 2 and 3, they compared what people actually thought about welfare recipients to what they believed others thought. Study 4 tested whether perceived stigma actually affects whether people say they would apply for benefits. Finally, study 5 tested whether an intervention could reduce the fear of stigma among people actually eligible for SNAP.

Understanding why eligible people don’t apply for benefits is crucial because billions of dollars go unused annually. If the barrier is simply a misunderstanding about what others think, that’s a problem we might be able to fix. This research approach—comparing personal beliefs to perceived public beliefs—is a well-established way to understand how false beliefs spread through society.

This research was published in a top-tier psychology journal and used multiple studies with different approaches to test the same idea, which strengthens confidence in the findings. The researchers used established methods from previous research on how people misjudge what others think. However, the final intervention study showed only modest results, suggesting the problem may be more complex than initially thought.

What the Results Show

Across multiple studies, researchers found consistent evidence of what’s called ‘pluralistic ignorance’—a situation where people think others judge them more harshly than those others actually do. Participants in the studies believed that the general public and their peers held much more negative views about people receiving SNAP benefits than those groups actually reported holding. For example, people thought others would be more judgmental, more negative about help-seeking, and less willing to help than they actually were. This gap between perceived judgment and actual judgment was substantial and consistent across different study groups. The research shows this isn’t just a small misunderstanding—it’s a significant disconnect that could meaningfully affect people’s decisions about applying for benefits.

When researchers tested whether correcting this misunderstanding would help more people apply for SNAP, the results were mixed. While the intervention did reduce people’s perception of public stigma somewhat, it didn’t lead to a meaningful increase in people saying they would apply for benefits in the short term. This suggests that while false beliefs about stigma are a barrier, they may not be the only barrier preventing people from applying. Other factors like difficulty navigating the application process, lack of awareness about eligibility, or other concerns may also play important roles.

This research builds on decades of psychological research showing that people often misjudge what others think and feel. The concept of pluralistic ignorance has been studied in many contexts, and this work extends it to an important real-world problem: access to social safety net programs. The findings align with previous research suggesting that perceived stigma is a significant barrier to help-seeking in various contexts, from mental health services to financial assistance.

The study has several important limitations. The exact number of participants across all studies wasn’t clearly specified in the abstract. The final intervention test, which was conducted with people actually eligible for SNAP, showed only modest effects, suggesting the findings from earlier studies may not fully translate to real-world behavior change. Additionally, the research focuses on perceived stigma but doesn’t fully explore other barriers to applying for benefits, such as application complexity, lack of information, or practical concerns. The studies were conducted in the United States, so findings may not apply to other countries with different welfare systems and cultural attitudes.

The Bottom Line

If you qualify for SNAP or other welfare benefits, consider applying despite concerns about judgment. The evidence suggests most people are more understanding than you might fear. However, this research alone may not be enough motivation—you may also need practical support like help with the application process or clear information about your eligibility. (Moderate confidence: The research shows the stigma barrier exists, but the intervention to address it had limited immediate effects.)

This research is most relevant to: people who qualify for welfare benefits but haven’t applied, family members or friends encouraging someone to apply, policymakers designing welfare programs, and social workers helping people access benefits. It’s less directly applicable to people who have already applied for benefits or who don’t qualify for assistance programs.

This research doesn’t suggest a specific timeline for benefits. However, it indicates that simply learning that others are less judgmental than you think may not immediately change your mind about applying. Meaningful behavior change might require additional support, clearer information about benefits, or help navigating the application process.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your beliefs about stigma over time by rating (1-10) how much you think the general public judges people receiving welfare benefits. Compare this to your personal views about the same group. Use the app to monitor whether this gap narrows as you learn more about actual public attitudes.
  • Use the app to set a specific goal: research one welfare benefit program you might qualify for, note your concerns about applying, and identify one trusted person to discuss those concerns with. The app could provide factual information about actual public attitudes toward benefit recipients to counter misconceptions.
  • Over several weeks, use the app to track: (1) your perceived stigma score, (2) your actual personal attitudes toward welfare recipients, (3) any concrete steps toward applying for benefits, and (4) conversations with others about welfare programs. This helps you see whether your beliefs about public judgment are changing and whether that affects your willingness to seek help.

This research describes psychological barriers to applying for welfare benefits but does not constitute medical or financial advice. If you believe you qualify for SNAP or other assistance programs, contact your local social services office or visit benefits.gov for eligibility information and application assistance. The findings suggest that perceived stigma may be a barrier, but actual eligibility, application requirements, and program rules are determined by government agencies. This study’s intervention showed limited immediate effects on application behavior, so additional support beyond stigma reduction may be needed. Consult with benefits counselors or social workers for personalized guidance on applying for programs you may qualify for.