Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Stigma has had a perceived link with the concept of morality since the Grecian era (Goffman, 1963). The purpose of this study was to see if there was a correlation between moral judgement (using the Defining Issues Test 2; DIT2), social identification (using the Identification with all Humanity Scale; IWAHS) and stigma attributions toward those with mental illness. Specifically, whether those with a heightened sense of identification with all humanity and more developed moral judgement schemas are less likely to make negative stigma attributions toward persons with mental illness. The results this study supported correlations between those variables and the attribution variables of Pity, Segregation, Anger, Help, Avoidance, Fear, and Coercion. In regression analysis, the results supported that the IWAHS could predict coercion and segregation. There was also support in those regression analyses that certain demographic variables can act as a predictor of Pity, Help, and Avoidance attributions.

Advisor(s) or Committee Chair

Dr. Pitt Derryberry, Dr. Holli Drummond, Dr. Christopher Keller

Disciplines

Criminology | Psychology

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