Graduation Semester and Year
2020
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Jared B Kenworthy
Second Advisor
Perry N. Fuchs
Abstract
This study investigated intergroup distinctiveness motives (IDM) as a function of experimental manipulations of remote positive contact and reciprocal intimate self-disclosure (RISD). Using a confederate posing as an outgroup member, I predicted that these variables would interact to negatively impact IDM scores. All participants were Christian-identifying university students who previously completed a baseline IDM survey regarding Muslims. This study involved an online essay exchange with an unseen confederate who was posing as a Muslim. The positive contact manipulation involved confederates giving positive (or neutral) feedback for participant essays. There was no main effect of positive contact on IDM scores. The RISD manipulation involved an exchange of essays with content about a private and fond childhood memory. This manipulation also resulted in a null effect on IDM scores. There was no interaction between positive contact and RISD. Several explanations are offered to better understand the null effects.
Keywords
Intimate disclosure, Remote contact, Distinctiveness, Prejudice, Intergroup relations, Intergroup distinctiveness, Reciprocal disclosure, Positive contact
Disciplines
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Jessica J., "The Roles of Remote Positive Contact and Reciprocal Intimate Self-Disclosure in Reducing Intergroup Distinctiveness Motives" (2020). Psychology Theses. 126.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/psychology_theses/126
Comments
Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington