Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5985-0956
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a global economic crisis that magnified financial hardships and revealed how political affiliation shapes financial behavior. This study examined how U.S. residents with differing political orientations navigated financial uncertainty, drawing on open-ended survey responses collected in fall 2020. Results show both commonalities and nuanced differences across political lines. Across groups, participants emphasized saving for emergencies, living within their means, seeking financial support, and building skills to increase income—underscoring the universality of core financial principles during crises. However, distinctions also emerged: Republican participants more frequently emphasized self-sufficiency, often seeking additional jobs or withdrawing from retirement funds; Independents were less likely to adjust spending plans, suggesting relative rigidity; and participants across all affiliations more frequently mentioned receiving than offering supports, suggesting a pragmatic rather than purely ideological orientation toward aid. These findings, while modest, highlight how political ideology can subtly shape financial decision-making and attitudes toward assistance. Recognizing these dynamics can inform inclusive financial education and crisis-response strategies that respect ideological differences while fostering shared values of resilience, adaptability, and financial capability across diverse communities.
Recommended Citation
Quiñones, M.,
Zuiker, V.,
Li, Y.,
&
Yu, H.
(2026). Financial Wisdom Across Political Identities: Exploring Insights from a Convenience Sample of Participants During the Global Pandemic.
Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 14(1), 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1524
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
