Self-Interest and Public Policy Attitude Formation: Busing for School Desegregation

The importance of self-interest as a factor in human behavior has generated considerable study and controversy among social scientists. This study attempts to clarify the roles of self-interest and a concern for the welfare of others by focusing on attitude formation about an important public policy issue, busing. Subjective expected utility theory is utilized to specify a model for estimating self-interest and public interest effects. The model is tested on a sample of Akron residents, and no support is found for a self-interest effect on attitudes toward busing.