Examples Attributions

December 7, 2000

Psychology 110 Research Exercise #3

Professor Link

GLBT ISSLES AT PIERCE COLLEGE

The goal of this research exercise project was to measure various attitudes with their behaviors from a diverse group of Pierce students and see where they were related and where there seemed to be cognitive dissonance, or a mismatcb of how they feel and what they do.  In attitudes, there are three components: thoughts, feelings, and behavioral tendencies, all of which may not "match". Because attitude can change behavior and behavior can affect attitude, it's common for them to be different.

(Teacher's note: is that a lot? Unsafe? Compare with end of para.)

Of the students who completed the survey, 68% reported to have heard derogatory jokes, or remarks concerning (GLBT people or issues in in classes this quarter. 19% of participants believed that GLBT experienjs and issues should not be included in the school's curriculum and 17% feel that GLBT issues and experiences are hard to listen to. 35.5% think that GLBT people feel safe on Pierce campus.

78% believe that our student government should speak up about GLBT issues at least once.

82% of participants believe that it is "okay" or acceptable to date people of a different race.

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(Note: many good examples of specifying the data to support her points in the following paragraphs.)

This survey helped all who were involved gain a better understanding of the diverse attitudes and behaviors ofpierce students, but there were some components that were hard to measure, such as the meaning of the word "okay". Some participants could interpret that as meaning acceptable, while others might interpret it to mean acceptable for others, but not for themselves, or family members. 19.5% of the people who believed that it was okay to date someone of a different race would hang out with their friend less or stop altogether if he/she did so.  Of the two participants that admitted to feeling disgusted when they saw an interracial couple, both agreed (one strongly) that interracial dating was still "okay", cm example of cognitive dissonance.

Another example of cognitive dissonance was one that J encountered with one of my participants. He strongly believed that interracial dating was okay and would hang out with a friend the same if they interiacially dated, but said that he himself would not date outside of his race, even though he is biracial.

I was interested in seeing if there was a significant connection in participants who seemed tohave negative anitudes/behaviors toward GLBT people and/or issues and whether or not they felt that GLBT people felt safe on campus. Of the six participants that I felt held strong negative views concerning GLBT peoplelissues, that is believing that GLBT issues should not be included in the school's curriculum, not appreciating hearing their experiences, and/or feeling that their experiences are hard to listen half think that GLET peop]e feel safe on Pierce campus, and the other half are neutral.

Of those same six participants that shared their negative views of GLBT people/issues, only one didn't think that it was okay to date people of a different race. The other five were in favor of interracial dating. This was especially surprising to me, because I would have predicted that anyone who felt negatively towards GLBT's would be more inclined to think unfavorably of interracial dating because both of them can be thought of as somewhat of an "alternative" lifestyle.

Another thing that was hard to measure was the overall attitude/behavior of participants who selected "neither agree nor disagree" as their answer for a lot of the questions.