Social psychologists have long been interested in judgments of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination towards people with marginalized identities. However, the majority of past social psychological studies have focused on understanding how perceivers view one dimension of marginalized identity in isolation from other marginalized identities. Specifically, past studies typically focus on the group members who are believed to be the most prototypical of marginalized groups in order to examine processes associated with discrimination (e.g., using Black men as targets when studying prejudice towards Black people). Because previous work largely examines the perceptions and experiences of prototypical marginalized group members, our understanding of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination is incomplete. I report five studies that use the intersectional invisibility framework as a scaffold to explore how perceivers’ judgments of prototypical versus non-prototypical group members differ. In Study 1, I explore how non-prototypical marginalized group members are represented in the media relative to their prototypical counterparts. Study 2 measures how explicit perceived stereotypes of prototypical and non-prototypical marginalized group members differ. Study 3 investigates how perceivers make attributions about prototypical and non-prototypical marginalized groups. Studies 4 and 5 examine how perceivers detect discrimination towards prototypical and non-prototypical marginalized group members. These studies empirically demonstrate that non-prototypical marginalized group members are perceived differently than their prototypical counterparts. These differences are associated with downstream consequences including reduced representation in popular culture and enhanced perceiver attention towards non-prototypical group members when compared to their prototypical counterparts.

abstract: Although recent research has suggested that motivations such as disease avoidance and self-protection are associated with increased social conservatism, less is known about the impact of other fundamental motivations on political attitudes. This is particularly important given that the currently studied motivations do not consistently push around economic attitudes, which are an important determinant of voting. The current study investigated the impact of a different motivation, status desire, on both economic and social attitudes in a sample of undergraduate students at a large southwestern university. Participants first reported their overall, economic, and social ideology one month before participating in a lab study. Then, in the lab, they were presented either with a vignette designed to elicit status desire, or a closely matched control, before responding to a series of items about economic and social political attitudes. It was predicted that economic conservatives and liberals in the status desire condition would report more economically conservative attitudes relative to their counterparts in the control condition. By contrast, it was predicted that social conservatives in the status desire condition would report more socially conservative attitudes, whereas social liberals in the status desire condition would report more socially liberal attitudes, relative to their counterparts in the control condition. However, the use of hierarchical linear regressions showed no significant effects of motive activation condition, or interactions of motive activation condition with relevant pre-screen political ideology, in predicting either economic or social political attitudes. Implications of these results for future research are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-125). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis--University of Mysore. / Bibliography: p. [423]-424.

No description available.

<p>Five Investigations were conducted to examine the antecedents of participation in voluntary organizations. The objective of these studies were to identify factors which influence the decision to become a volunteer. While much prior research has been devoted to this subject, his series is distinctive insofar as it examines a broader range of potential determinants, employs longitudinal panel designs and directs particular attention to individual differences in the circumstance, the events and the psychological stares which precede voluntary action. In the first study, the reasons advanced by individuals to account for their decision to volunteer were examined employing open-ended interview questions and rating scale measures. Consistent with prior research, it was observed that most persons had more than one reason for volunteering. However, application of two statistical reduction techniques revealed that these reasons tended to be given in clusters and that there were three main purposes for joining: (1) Advancements of Career and Personal Goals (2) Social and Situational Compensation (3) Altruism The second study was designed to explore the relationship between social background factors and the reasons for undertaking voluntary action. This investigation demonstrated that persons with similar social backgrounds often pursue voluntary action for similar purposes. The analysis revealed that students often participate to obtain career experience while unemployed persons and those recently experiencing major life events (e.g. retirement, loss of spouse, change in parental responsibilities), were more likely to volunteer in order to meet people, relieve boredom, and find purpose in life. In addition, while most persons mentioned a desire to help others among their reasons for volunteering, only retired or full-time employed respondents with situational stability (i.e., no recent life events) accentuated the altruistic purpose of their actions in their explanations. These results suggest that social background factors may influence the perceived utility of such pursuits and influence the reasons why people volunteer. Study three examined the amount of social encouragement to volunteer received by various types of initiators. This investigation revealed that young individuals, persons with less formal education and first time joiners were especially likely to have been persuaded to join. Conversely, elderly persons, those experiencing recent major life events and individuals with previous volunteer experience were considerably less likely to have been persuaded. While prior research has shown that social encouragement is frequently associated with the initiation of voluntary action, this study is the first to assess which types of joiners were most likely to receive encouragement to volunteer. The fourth and fifth study of this thesis examined the relationship between attitudes toward voluntary action and participation in instrumental voluntary organizations. Study four assessed whether attitudes were predictive of joins which took place after various temporal delays. Attitudes were found to be excellent predictors of participation initiated within one to eight months of an attitude measure, but progressively less predictive of joins occurring after longer delays. Moreover, it was also discovered that attitudes tend to be better long-range predictors when the join was not preceded by a life event and when the individual undertook participation to promote organizational goals rather than personal objectives. Finally, a three part investigation was conducted to examine the extent to which attitudes change when individuals become volunteers. Part one was a two-year longitudinal study which demonstrated that attitudes toward voluntary action became significantly more favourable when individuals joined voluntary organizations and significantly less favourable when such activities were terminated. In part two, it was observed that this attitude change occurred before the individuals had joined the organization and changed little once participation had begun. Finally, part three of this investigation indicated that attitudes toward voluntary action generally became more favourable only after the individual had decided to become a volunteer. The implications of these findings with respect to the role of attitudes in the decision to volunteer are discussed. Throughout these studies, individual differences in the determinants of these activities were repeatedly noted. It is crucial that investigators direct increased attention to these differences in the development of their models of volunteer motivation. To assist in this regard, a model is presented which accommodates individual variation in the antecedents of participation and provides a conceptual framework in which to consider the significance of various antecedents of this phenomenon.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Psychological Sciences / Donald A. Saucier / To better understand factors related to greater social control of norm violators, I conducted two studies. The social group membership of the norm violator was of foremost importance to these studies and tested the general prediction that who violates the norm determines the perceived appropriate reaction to the norm violation. Consistent with contemporary theories of prejudice (i.e., the justification-suppression model of prejudice, the stereotype content model, and aversive racism theory) results revealed that norm violators with intellectual disabilities were given stronger (yet more paternalistic) social control reactions than Black norm violators and that Black norm violators were perceived as less competent when they violated a norm that was high (vs. low) in personal implication. Results also supported theories related to social-identity theory by demonstrating that White norm violators were generally less liked than other norm violators. The results of these studies demonstrate that social group membership influences how individuals react to norm violators and contributes to our understanding of the unfair treatment of individuals in our society.

<p> Interdependent work, where men and women work together in groups, is becoming an increasingly common part of today&rsquo;s workplace. In these interdependent settings, gender is not just an attribute of an individual (target gender), but also an attribute of the group as a whole (group gender composition). Recent research suggests that, in these interdependent contexts, it is group gender composition, rather than a target&rsquo;s gender, that affects group members&rsquo; evaluations of their group-mates (West, Heilman, Gullett, Moss-Racusin, &amp; Magee, 2012). The current research is the first to explore when and why group gender composition influences intragroup evaluations. </p><p> Across three studies, I tested two hypotheses. First, I hypothesized that group gender composition would influence intragroup evaluations via one of two routes&mdash;either via the target&rsquo;s behavior or via the perceiver&rsquo;s biased evaluations of the target. My second hypothesis was that increasing the amount of outcome interdependence (i.e. the extent to which group members are rewarded based on the group&rsquo;s performance instead of their own individual performance) experienced by a group would improve evaluations in female relative to male dominant groups. Consistent with past research, I expected that under conditions of low outcome interdependence intragroup evaluations would be more negative in female dominant than male dominant groups. However, under conditions of high outcome interdependence, I argue that a task may appear more female gender-typed (i.e. emphasize traits typically associated with women, like cooperation), and as a result, the influence of group gender composition on intragroup evaluations should dissipate. </p><p> Findings suggest that group gender composition biases perceivers&rsquo; evaluations of their group-mates. In Studies 1 and 2, there was no evidence that target behavior mediated the relationship between group gender composition and intragroup evaluations; moreover, in Study 3, group gender composition influenced intragroup evaluations even when targets&rsquo; behavior was held constant. </p><p> Consistent with my second hypothesis, level of outcome interdependence moderated the relationship between group gender composition and intragroup evaluations. For Studies 1 and 3, I found the expected interaction between group gender composition and level of outcome interdependence. When groups experienced low outcome interdependence, members of male dominant groups evaluated each other more positively than members of female dominant groups. Results reversed under conditions of high outcome interdependence, such that members of female dominant groups evaluated each other more positively than members of male dominant groups, albeit not significantly so. However, there was no evidence that moderation by outcome interdependence was due to changes in the perceived gender type of the task. Findings from Study 3 suggest that participants who experienced conditions of high outcome interdependence did not believe that the task was more female gender-typed than participants who experienced conditions of low outcome interdependence. Moreover, other methods for making a task appear more female gender-typed (using female gender-typed materials and framing a task as requiring female gender-typed skills) did not moderate the relationship between group gender composition and intragroup evaluations. </p><p> Results from these studies are the first to provide insight into when and why gender composition affects intragroup evaluations in interdependent task groups. The current research suggests that it is possible to improve intragroup evaluations for female dominant groups, relative to male dominant groups, and reduce bias based on group gender composition by rewarding group members based on group rather than individual performance. Additionally, the current research suggests making a task appear more female gender-typed (e.g. using traditionally female materials) may not be effective at reducing gender bias in group contexts.</p>

<p> Bullying continues to be a global concern in schools and communities, especially in light of its adverse short- and long-term impacts on youth with respect to both psychiatric and physical health (Espelage &amp; Swearer, 2003; Rodkin, Espelage, &amp; Hanish, 2015; Witted &amp; Dupper, 2005). As a result, numerous programs and resources aimed at preventing bullying and intervening with both victims and perpetrators have been developed. An increased use of computer-mediated communications (CMCs) among adolescents (Patchin, 2013) has lead to the emergence of a new form of bullying called cyberbullying, which involves intentional acts of aggression through online or cellular phone communications. Therefore a need for resources specifically targeting cyberbullying that are accessible and easy-to-use is also needed. </p><p> The current project involved developing a resource in the form of wireframing for a mobile-app, aimed at decreasing cyberbullying among adolescents (ages 12-18 years) by providing them with a reflective learning tool to heighten their awareness of their involvement in cyberbullying, its potential adverse consequences, and to connect them with relevant resources. The project was informed by a review of the literature on physical bullying, cyberbullying (e.g., prevalence, forms, and roles involved), and the efficacy of current prevention/treatment programs and resources. The resulting mobile-app wireframe is presented in the form of a manual and simulation using the JustinMind program (Farrell-Vinary, 2011). The wireframe is comprised of four modules: (1) An Assessment Module to assess user&rsquo;s cyberbullying role (bully, victim, bully/victim) and tailor the mobile-app&rsquo;s content, (2) a Psychoeducation Module providing information on the adverse affects, signs, and symptoms of cyberbullying, (3) a Daily Log Module to monitor online behaviors and increase online awareness, and (4) a Resources Module to provide additional support to other programs, information, and personal contacts. Although the resource is intended primarily for use by teens as a self-help tool, it may be implemented as part of a hybrid approach in conjunction with therapy or school-based programs. </p><p> Following a discussion of strengths, limitations and potential improvements to the current resource, plans for evaluating its efficacy once developed into a functional mobile-app and disseminating it to relevant professionals are described.</p>

<p> The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the influence that a threat to university students&rsquo; academic competence had on their reported competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics. This dissertation was conceptualized based on symbolic self-completion theory which maintains that when individuals are actively committed to pursuing certain self-definitions, they define themselves as complete (e.g., competent or possessing a desired quality) through the use of symbols of attainment. These symbols can consist of any behavior or material possession that is accepted by others as proof that the individual possesses the desired self-definition. In the present study, the desired quality is being a competent university student, and potential symbols of attainment are measures of perceived competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics. Providing written advice to future undergraduate students was also examined as an additional symbol of attainment. A pre/posttest design was used to gather measures surrounding an academic threat to current undergraduate students (n=203). Results of this dissertation support that being an undergraduate student does represent a self-defining goal and suggest that some students are invested in establishing and maintaining competence within this desired self-definition. This dissertation found that following an academic threat the experimental group did exaggerate (i.e., increase) responses to some of the measures. In addition, both academic commitment and self-esteem were important in determining the extent to which a student engaged in the symbolic self-completion process using measures that focus on competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics. </p>