The purpose of this research was to explore how theme parks influence visitors' beliefs about the past and the emotional and attitudinal effects of such beliefs. It was based on the theory that theme parks in portraying an ideal past communicate cultural myths that have psychological impact and that faith in those myths influence current emotions and attitudes. The experiment took place at Old Tucson, an old west theme park and movie location. The independent variables were designed to manipulate subjects' beliefs about what was true in the actual old west, as well as their motivation to reaffirm old west myths. Before entering Old Tucson, subjects were given either "no cue" or a "famous movie location cue." Earlier findings indicated "no cue" allowed reaffirmation of old west myths, while the "movie location cue" caused decreased mythic beliefs. Subjects also received either a culture boost or threat before entry, in the form of a trivia quiz. The boost was intended to leave subjects unmotivated to reaffirm old west myths; the threat was intended to motivate them to seek myth-affirmation at Old Tucson. Upon exit, subjects were surveyed about personal mood, the old west, Old Tucson, and social attitudes and beliefs. No-cue (allowed affirmation), culture-threat (motivation) subjects expressed significantly greater belief in the myth of the old west than their movie-cue (prevented affirmation), culture-threat (motivation) counterparts. Subjects who expressed great belief in the old west had significantly higher optimism about the future than those with lower beliefs. Primary dependent measures included mood (anxiety, depression, hostility, positive affect, and sensation seeking) enjoyment of Old Tucson and desire to return dogmatism, authoritarianism, alienation, attitudes toward technology, death, politics and the environment. Enjoyment of Old Tucson, desire to return, dogmatism, and optimism were positively correlated with strength of old west beliefs among subjects motivated, and able, to reaffirm them.

The fundamental dichotomy between savage and civilized man is examined within the archetypal Western myth of American culture. The roots of the dichotomy are explored through images produced between 1888 and 1909 by artists Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Four John Ford films are then used as a basis for the "dichotomous archetype" approach to understanding Western myth in film. Next, twenty-nine "historical" and "contemporary" Western movies are discussed chronologically, from The Virginian (1929) to Dances with Wolves (1990), in terms of the savage/civilized schema as it is personified by the roles of archetypal characters. The conclusion proposes a potential resolution of the savage/civilized conflict through an ecumenical mythology that recognizes a universal reverence for nature.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis will look at the various images of the American Far West presented by the Saturday Evening Post during the 1920s under the editorship of George Horace Lorimer, and will examine his editorial strategy that promoted the Far West as a last land of opportunity while also recognizing and weighing in on the challenges of that region.