Honors Theses

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Completion

Spring 4-29-2022

Academic Year

2021-2022

Department

​Behavioral Sciences

Academic Major

Psychology

Faculty Advisor

Jeremiah Sullins, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study analyzes how identification, empathy, and perspective-taking influence prejudiced attitudes towards women. Through utilizing a narrative intervention alongside measures of prejudiced attitudes, empathetic capacity, and narrative identification, this study documents how students at a Christian university in the southern United States (n = 100) responded to narrative persuasion. While analyses revealed that the narrative intervention was ineffective in significantly affecting prejudiced attitudes towards women, participants’ empathy levels were positively correlated with character identification, further elucidating the process of perspective-taking. Despite some non-significant results, this study sheds light on the role of narrative persuasion on students at a Christian university and points to future research on the development of interventions aimed at mitigating prejudiced attitudes within this specific demographic.

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Psychology Commons

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