2016 Winner: Social Dominance Orientation’s Effects on Attitudes Towards Crime, Prisoners and Prison Reform

Project Information
Social Dominance Orientation’s Effects on Attitudes Towards Crime, Prisoners and Prison Reform
Social Sciences
Psychology 195: Senior Thesis
While social dominance orientation (SDO) has previously been researched by psychologists, studies delving further into how it may predict attitudes towards crime, prisoners and prison reform have not previously been conducted. The aim of this study was to fill this gap in the literature, and explore whether social dominance has any predictive power over individuals’ beliefs about causes of crime, attitudes towards prisoners, and attitudes about prison reform. Participants (n = 1,025) self-selected to participate in this study through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that SDO was a significant predictor for attitudes about individual causes of crime, attitudes towards prisoners, and prison reform attitudes. Individuals who were more social dominance oriented were more likely to attribute crime to individual/hereditary factors, and held more negative views towards prisoners and less progressive attitudes about prison reform. Additional mediation models revealed that racist ideology partially mediates the relationships between SDO and attitudes towards prisoners, and SDO and prison reform attitudes. This discussion section includes limitations of the study, suggestions for future research and implications for society.
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Students
  • Beverly Iniguez Conrique (Cowell)
Mentors