Chappell, Amanda N. and Steele, Jenessa and Aspelmeier, Jeffery and Iannone, Nicole EXPLORING AGE DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSES TO DISRESPECT AMONG YOUNG AND OLDER ADULTS. 2019. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
Disrespectful actions have many negative repercussions, as disrespect can foster hostility, prompt violence, and negatively impact relationships (Hawkins, 2015; Miller, 2001). Emotional responses to disrespect tend to be negative, although more research is needed to investigate overall reactions to disrespectful experiences across the lifespan. In the current study, we investigated how different age groups respond to being disrespected. Young and older adult participants completed a measurement of sensitivity to ignored disrespect. Within the items on the measure, the relationship with the disrespect perpetrator varied from very close to distant. The participants reported their emotional response and overall sensitivity to being disrespected. Preliminary analyses revealed that there were significant gender differences in responses to disrespect, with females reporting more sensitivity and a stronger emotional reaction than males. Therefore, the researchers controlled for gender for the remaining analyses. The findings were that young adults did not have a stronger response to disrespect than older adults, which was unexpected. However, as expected, participants felt more disrespected when the perpetrator was someone very close to them. Although more research on disrespect is needed, especially on possible age differences, our study indicates that females may be more heavily impacted by disrespect and also that the negative impact of disrespect varies by the degree of closeness to the perpetrator.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
| Divisions: | Radford University > College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > Department of Psychology |
| Date Deposited: | 02 Mar 2020 20:12 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2023 12:56 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/523 |
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