RUcore Resource Object
RUcore Resource Object
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TitleEmotion regulation and prejudice reduction
NameJohnston, Brian (author), Roseman, Ira J (chair), Whitlow, Jesse W (internal member), Garcia, Luis (internal member), Rutgers University, Camden Graduate School,
Degree Date2010-05
Date Created2010
SubjectPrejudices--United States,
Affect (Psychology),
Homophobia--United States,
Racism--United States--Psychological aspects
DescriptionPrejudice is a problem that can be found in most places around the world. Problems that have arisen in the past as a result of prejudice include hate crimes, unjust social policies / acts, and even genocide. Past research has noted associations amongst negative affect and prejudice (Tropp & Pettigrew, 2004). In particular, studies have found a relationship between anger and racial prejudice (Roseman, Copeland, & Fischer, 2003; Walker & Smith, 2001), thus leading to the possibility of utilizing emotion regulation techniques to decrease racist emotions. This study aimed to discover if different emotion regulation strategies differentially affect prejudice. The study focused on racial prejudice and sexual orientation prejudice. Cognitive reappraisal and suppression of anger toward a black couple in a vignette were manipulated. Both racial and sexual orientation prejudice were measured implicitly and explicitly. Correlational findings indicated that cognitive reappraisal (of emotions in general) may decrease explicit racial prejudice for white participants, while suppression of anger specifically (especially by black participants) may increase racial prejudice against blacks. Particularly for white participants, it was found that one's level of anger during the time of the study was associated with greater explicit racial prejudice; and that one's level of anxiety at the time of the study was associated with greater implicit and explicit racial prejudice. Additionally, for black participants, a disposition to anger was related to greater explicit racial prejudice against blacks, while a disposition to anxiety was related to greater implicit racial prejudice against blacks. For sexual orientation prejudice, cognitive reappraisal was associated with lower implicit prejudice (for white participants) and suppression was associated with higher explicit prejudice (especially for white participants). It was found that anger (and regulation of that anger) is related to racial prejudice, but not sexual orientation prejudice. Differentiations between racial and sexual orientation prejudice were examined and preliminary evidence was exhibited for disgust having a positive relationship with sexual orientation prejudice.
NoteM.A.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references (p. 74-76)
Noteby Brian Michael Johnston
NoteIncludes abstract
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttp://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10005600001.ETD.000052818
LanguageEnglish
CollectionCamden Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.