Schema theory, attitudes and text comprehension

This study examined the hypothesis that pre-existing sexual schemata would influence what college students would learn from AIDS education materials. In one session college students completed a sexual knowledge test and attitude questionnaires; in a second session they read a 25-page informational passage on AIDS, then completed an immediate reading . comprehension test or a placebo task; in a third session, all students completed a delayed reading comprehension test. Separate ANCOVAs were conducted for the immediate and delayed tests of comprehension. On both the immediate and delayed tests, individuals demonstrating less prior knowledge, reporting lower levels of responsibility, and/or higher levels of hypermasculinity attitude performed less accurately than students with opposite characteristics. Also, subjects whose performance was not tested for two weeks were significantly less accurate than subjects tested immediately. Thus, an individual, pre-existing sexual schema (prior knowledge, attitudes, behavioral predispositions) influenced what was learned from AIDS educational materials. Inaccuracy in learning such information, even to a small degree, may have significant, lifethreatening consequences for those at risk for contracting AIDS.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.issued

1993

Author dc:creator

• Quick, Kathryn Jo

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/JvNVJxMv

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/JvNVJxMv