The relationship between contact and implicit and explicit attitudes toward homeless people

Graduation Date

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.A./Sciences)-- Humboldt State University, Psychology, 2006

Committee Chair Name

Chris Aberson

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Implicit, Homeless, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Psychology, Attitudes

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to examine implicit and explicit attitudes toward homeless people. More specifically, it was addressed how these attitudes were related to contact experiences with homeless people, measured in terms of exposure that was based on the amount of various forms of direct and indirect contact with homeless people and contact quality which was based on whether the contact was positive or negative with homeless people. It was hypothesized that more contact, in terms of both exposure and quality, would be associated with more positive implicit and explicit attitudes toward homeless people. Research is mixed regarding public attitudes toward homeless people, with some reporting generally positive attitudes, but other work finding negative attitudes. The discrepancy between these findings might be explained by social desirability effects that are often present with the use of explicit attitude measures. Implicit measures are not susceptible to such effects. In addition, implicit measures have been found to be better predictors of some social behaviors than explicit measures. In this cross-sectional, correlational study, exposure to homeless people related to explicit but not implicit attitudes. Similarly, contact quality was only linked to explicit attitudes. The interaction between exposure and quality predicted neither attitude. These results are consistent with research on the positive association between contact and explicit attitudes toward homeless people and different ethnic groups that have found a positive relationship between contact and attitudes. Results suggest that contact with homeless people may be beneficial to fostering positive attitudes toward homeless people, and that even negative contact with homeless people was found to relate to positive explicit attitudes toward them.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/r494vn649

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