Psychology Commons^™

Individual Levels Of Bias And Immigration Policies In The United States: A Test And Extension Of The Dual Processing Model Of Bias, Lorraine Phillips

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The present study was a test and extension of the Dual Process Model of bias on attitudes toward immigrants and immigration policy in the United States. The Dual Process Model predicts that people who score higher on either the Social Dominance Orientation scale or the Right Wing Authoritarian scale will hold more negative attitudes toward immigrants, particularly if immigrants are viewed as a threat. A sample of 315 participants from across the United States was recruited using Amazon’s M Turk site. This study used a combination of attitudinal measures, policy scales, and experimental vignettes. The study found that the Dual …

More Than Mere Synonyms: Examining The Differences Between Criminogenic Thinking And Criminogenic Attitudes, David W. Gavel

Dissertations

More than 75% of prison inmates are arrested for a new crime within five years of being released from prison. Known as recidivism, this trend of repeated criminal activity accounts for more than half of annual prison admissions, and rehabilitative programs demonstrate varying degrees of success in reducing recidivism. Andrews, Bonta, and Hoge (1990) demonstrated that offenders are less likely to recidivate when they receive services that match their assessed level of risk factors (e.g., history of violence), intervention needs (e.g., mental health diagnosis), and responsivity (e.g., ideal learning environment). Criminogenic cognition, mental events (e.g., thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) often …

Perception And Construction Of Individuals At The Intersect Of Race And Immigration Status, Paolo Aldrin Palma

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Although perceptions of intersectional group identities (e.g., race and gender) have gained focus in recent years, an oft-ignored group in this line of work are immigrants. Across three studies, attitudes and stereotypes of different groups as a function of race and immigrant status, and how experiences of racism affect people’s attitudes towards immigrants, were examined. Study 1 found attitudes and stereotypes clustered around target race, not immigration status (n = 498) though people’s attitudes were most favourable for Canadians with no attached race label. Study 2 found that experiences of racism affected attitudes towards immigrants expressed by a representative …

Evaluating An Existing Training Design In A New Context: All-Inclusive Multicultural Diversity Program, Fred Macoukji

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The extent to which diversity has positive or negative effects on an organization can be attributed to the way in which diversity is managed (most commonly through diversity training). More often than not, organizations fail to validate training, therefore the current study adapted a training that successfully changed manager attitudes in a different context and implemented a perspective taking approach using language that was all-inclusive in order to determine if it was better at changing diversity relevant attitudes and behaviors than standard diversity training models. The results indicate that the training was effective in improving diversity relevant attitudes. Additionally, the …

The Heart Of Ideology: Bringing Compassion Into The Political Sphere, Vanessa M. Sinclair

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Individual differences are pivotal in predicting sociopolitical views, which in turn guide behaviours like voting decisions, career choices, or engagement in activism. Compassion, a trait related to empathy and prosocial behaviour, has shown promise in predicting reduced hostile, anti-egalitarian attitudes. Certain kinds of political beliefs can be termed hierarchy-legitimizing in that they perpetuate or enhance existing societal hierarchies, such as economic inequality or racial discrimination. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between compassion for others and hierarchy-legitimizing viewpoints, as mediated by the characteristic of Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). A sample of 590 undergraduate students completed measures …

Healthcare Vs. Hawkishness: The Divergent Effects Of Affect On Context-Driven Shifts In Attitudes, Fade Rimon Eadeh

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a tradition of research in affective science suggesting different affective states (e.g., anger vs. anxiety) are associated with relatively unique goals and motives (Frijda, 1986; 1988; Schwarz & Clore, 2007, Lerner & Keltner, 2000; 2001). Although this approach has received considerable empirical support, this work has yet to fully resolve an important issue. For any given type of emotion (say, anger), such feelings can be activated in a variety of different "triggering" contexts. If so, to what extent does the triggering context matter when examining the consequences of that emotion for attitudes? Some findings suggest that context does …

The Effect Of Quantity And Quality Of Contact On Heterosexual Civilian Attitudes Toward Gay Men And Lesbians In The Military, Brienne Brown

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the impact of contact with gay men and lesbians on attitudes toward gay men and lesbians in the military. Specifically, this study examined the extent to which heterosexual civilians’ quantity of contact and quality of contact with gay men and lesbians predict their attitudes toward gay men and lesbians in the military over and above demographic traits and social desirability.

An online survey was administered to participants (N = 140). Attitudes toward gay men and lesbians were measure using the Attitudes Toward Homosexuals in the Military Scale (ATHM), quantity of contact and quality of contact were …

Attitudes And Experiences Of Close Interethnic Friendships Among Native Emerging Adults: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, Merrill L. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Members of small minority groups like Natives, along with other minority groups that are rapidly growing in population are increasingly receiving research focus. With 1 in 3 U.S. residents identifying with racial or ethnic minority groups, close interethnic relationships are likely to increase as well. It will be important to understand processes of close friendship development between racially-different friends, along with the factors that help establish and maintain these close interethnic friendships. This information will be especially important for members of small minority groups, such as Natives.

We investigated Native friendship development and factors of close friendship with non-Native emerging …

Beauty Is Beneficial: An Examination Of Candidate Facial Attractiveness, Gender, Qualification, And Customer Visibility On Online Recruitment Intentions, Breanna R. Wexler

Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of information included in candidates’ online networking profiles on recruiters’ perceptions and ratings of their likelihood of inviting the candidate for a job interview. Specifically, this study used a status generalization theory perspective to examine the weighting of information related to candidate physical attractiveness, gender, and qualification to predict perceived expectations for intellectual competence, likability, and social skills. These expectations then predicted whether the candidate should be recommended for a job interview. While participants relied almost exclusively on qualification information when making judgments of intellectual competence, candidates placed increased weight on attractiveness when rating …

Effect Of Electronic Cigarette Messages On Young-Adult Behavioral Dispositions Towards Use, Idan Ariel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last decade, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have emerged as novel and popular nicotine delivery devices. Although many smokers use e-cigarettes, evidence suggests these products are also growing in popularity among young adult non-smokers. It is therefore important to examine factors that may contribute to onset of electronic cigarette use among young adult non-smokers. Critics and supporters of electronic cigarettes have been disseminating anti and pro e-cigarette messages (respectively) and it is currently unclear what effect, if any, these messages exert on young adult non-smokers. Critics of electronic cigarettes advocate caution towards these products, while supporters of electronic cigarettes argue …

The Effect Of Contact Type On Perceptions Of Sex Offender Recidivism Risk, Donald Walker Jr.

ETD Archive

Prior research has found that the general public perceives sex offenders negatively as a whole (Edwards & Hensley, 2001). These perceptions have enabled sex offender management policies that create ironic conditions for sex offender rehabilitation and reintegration (Hanson, & Harris, 2000). More recent research has found that when sex offenders are presented as subcategories the public has more varied, though still negative attitudes toward sex offenders (King & Roberts, 2015). Furthermore, a burgeoning area of research has developed around the differentiation of child sex offenders based on the contact that they have had with their victims: non-contact, contact-only, and mixed-contact. …

Theory Of Planned Behavior Analysis And Organic Food Consumption Of American Consumers, Marie Elizabeth Donahue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of organic foods consumed by Americans are sourced internationally, which has global-reaching implications on health, economics, and sustainability. Current research findings show that environmental devastation and negative health outcomes have resulted from unsustainable, nonorganic agricultural practices; including herbicides, pesticides, and overcultivation. However, there is a lack of quantitative research on factors that motivate Americans to consume organic food. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this quantitative study employed an online survey to examine the role of attitudes, subjective norms, descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control on the intention and behavior of American consumers to consume organic foods. …

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Ambivalence, And Relationship Outcomes Within Romantic Partnerships, Victoria J. Schriber

Senior Independent Study Theses

The current study analyzes self-esteem and the apparent mood of one’s partner as predictors of perceived responsibility, level of felt rejection, and relationship satisfaction in romantic relationships. The study hypothesizes that ambivalence will act as a moderating variable between self-esteem and romantic relationship outcomes. Previous research on the topic suggests that self-esteem is associated with how participants react to their romantic partner when they are in a specific mood. The current study will be one of the first to examine how ambivalence affects self-esteem’s effect on romantic relationships. The results replicate previous research, showing that self-esteem interacts with partner’s mood …

The Attitudes, Level Of Interest, And Knowledge Held By Physicians And Psychologists Toward Integrated Healthcare Practices And The Patient-Centered Medical Home Model, Mark Cassano

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

As the healthcare system continues to evolve, issues related to cost and access to care continue to persist. In response to this concern, integrated models of healthcare, like the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), have been developed to work toward reducing cost for both patients and providers, increasing patient access to quality care, and improving patients’ overall satisfaction with the care that they are provided. However, despite the overwhelming evidence found in the literature supporting the efficacy and benefit of these treatment models, it is unclear why more providers do not choose to practice in and support collaborative forms of healthcare …

Ugh…Statistics! College Students’ Attitudes And Perceptions Toward Statistics, Drew A. Doyle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Statistics is a course that is required for a majority of undergraduate college students in a wide variety of majors. It is not just required for Statistics or Mathematics majors, but also for those undergraduate college students majoring in Biology, Engineering, Sociology, and countless other majors. It can often be seen as a daunting course, especially for those who feel that mathematics is not their strongest subject. Students begin to dislike the course before even starting and this can carry on throughout the entirety of the course. This thesis will focus primarily on students’ perceptions and attitudes toward their statistics …

Acculturation, Enculturation, Stigma, And Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help Among Eastern Europeans In The U.S, Andi Xhihani

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although approximately 2.1 million Eastern European immigrants are presently living in the U.S (Migration Policy Institute [MPI], 2011), this population has received little attention in the mental health field. Eastern European immigrants face many challenges to adapting to a new a culture, yet their process of acculturating has received little attention in counseling research. Based on Berry’s (1980) bidirectional model of acculturation as a framework, the present study examined the relationships of acculturation, enculturation, gender, and stigma of mental illness on Eastern European immigrants’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. It was hypothesized that gender and stigma would moderate the …

Inclusion In Jamaican Primary Schools: Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Attitudes, And Concerns, Jillian Samms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusive education has become an international phenomenon; however, many developing countries struggle with its implementation. At last assessment of the Jamaican educational system in 2004, findings revealed exclusionary practices which are in contrast to international standards on education. Many children with special needs may not be receiving adequate support for education. Using Bandura's social learning theory as a foundation, this study examined whether there is a predictive relationship between grade level, type of school, location of school, access to support resources, perceived school climate, pedagogical beliefs, extent of inclusion training, attitudes to inclusion, and teachers' ratings of self-efficacy for inclusive …