Rokeach, 1971: Confronting values of fredom and equality increased willingness to promote equal rights and interest in ethnic studies among undergraduates over a year and a half
Reference:
Rokeach, M. (1971). Long-range experimental modification of values, attitudes, and behavior. American psychologist, 26(5), 453.
Download PDFSummary:
Undergraduates in the 1960s were asked to rank their values and typically ranked “freedom” over “equality.” Some were told that this ranking meant that people valued freedom for themselves more than freedom for other people, and further elaborated on this. This message led students to value “equality” and equal rights more highly over the next 15-17 months, increased the percentage who chose to major in an ethnic studies core 5 months later from 22% to 42%, and increased the percentage who responded to a solicitation from the NAACP over this period from 11% to 26%.
Psychological Process:
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
To See the Self as AdequateApproach to Desired Meaning
What about it?
Link Self-Integrity to a Behavior or Attitude to Motivate Positive ChangeHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I not living up to my attitudes or values?Am I not living up to my attitudes or values?Psychological Question Addressed
Am I not living up to my attitudes or values?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Intergroup relationships
Intervention Technique:
Increasing commitment through action, hypocrisy; Prompting with information