A jump in welfare, a massive increase in food stamps and young adults moving back in with their parents en masse — that is the popular perception of what has happened in the five years since the financial crisis hit.

It’s not totally wrong. But according to a new study, the dramatic expansion in social insurance spending since the start of recession isn’t out of line with what’s happened in past recessions. Instead, the growth of social insurance programs reflects the severity of the recession more than any changes in the safety net.