Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Understanding changes in students' attitudes: A study of an undergraduate course in human sexuality
Abstract
Studies that have examined the attitudes of college students have often found that certain attitudes change after completing a course in human sexuality. In the present study, it was hypothesized that in relationship to the control group, experimental subjects would become significantly more rejecting of date rape, more accepting of homosexuality and masturbation, and less anxious about sex. At both pre- and post-class, the sexual attitudes of approximately 100 control and 100 experimental subjects were measured on seven outcome scales: Sexual Values Questionnaire, Forcible Date Rape Scale, Sexual Behavior Inventory, Sexual Anxiety Inventory, Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory, Homophobia Scale, and Sexual Attitudes Scale. Significance was determined by a series of 2 x 2 x 2 Manovas (condition, pre- or post, and gender), with the final criteria being the condition by pre-post interaction. In regard to the primary hypotheses, none of the findings (conclusions) of earlier studies were replicated. Although there were significant pre-post changes within the experimental group, similar changes within the control group resulted in nonsignificant condition by pre-post interactions. The results of most earlier studies were based on significant pre-post changes in the experimental group and nonsignificant changes in the control group. Thus, a salient issue was not addressed: In relationship to the amount of shift in the control group, did the experimental group change significantly more? Other hypotheses addressed attitude changes within "at risk" groups. These groups were composed of experimental subjects whose scores were at least one standard deviation from the mean (e.g., Forcible Date Rape, toward being more accepting; Sexual Anxiety Inventory, toward being more anxious). At post-class, the two groups mentioned above were significantly less accepting, and less anxious, respectively. Considering that extreme scores often gravitate toward the mean on subsequent testings, "least at risk" subjects were used as control groups. The criteria for these groups were the same, except standard deviations were in the opposite direction. None of the pre-post comparisons of "least at risk" groups were significant.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Social psychology|Higher education
Recommended Citation
Bertholf, Stephen Dale, "Understanding changes in students' attitudes: A study of an undergraduate course in human sexuality" (1998). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9908463.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9908463