Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Sinclair, H. Colleen
Committee Member
Giesen, J. Martin
Committee Member
McMillen, Robert
Date of Degree
8-11-2012
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Psychology
Degree Name
Master of Science
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Department of Psychology
Abstract
The current study employed the self-validation hypothesis (Petty, Brinol, & Tormala, 2002) to test how thought confidence affects individuals’ responses to social norms regarding gay rights. After measuring their gay rights attitudes and thought confidence, participants took part in a discussion where they faced groups that either opposed their position on gay rights unanimously or non-unanimously (i.e., 4 opposing confederates vs. 3 opposing confederates and one supporting confederate). Those who were anti-gay rights conformed more than those pro, particularly when facing unanimous opposition. Thought confidence reduced the effects of normative pressure on conformity, but only in those who were anti-gay rights. Attitude change was reduced for anti-gay rights people with high thought confidence, but only when a supporting confederate was present. These results suggest that thought confidence affects resistance to social norms in people who are anti-gay rights whereas pro-gay rights people resist regardless of their level of thought confidence.
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19882
Recommended Citation
Walker, Benjamin Howard, "The Role of Thought Confidence in Resistance to Social Norms" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 4644.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/4644
