Graduate Studies

 

First Advisor

Mario Scalora

Department

Psychology

Date of this Version

Spring 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Comments

Copyright 2024, Patrick Timothy McGonigal. Used by permission

Abstract

Identity-driven targeted violence driven by gender identity, sexuality, race, and religion overwhelmingly impacts marginalized groups of individuals. Existing evidence suggests that acts of bias on college campuses are often unreported by students, leaving those who engage in these behaviors to continue without proper redress. A great wealth of data illustrates the deleterious impacts of identity-driven behavior on student victims, including heightened psychological distress, poorer academic performance, and lower retention. In contrast, limited research has examined relevant underpinnings of perpetrating identity-driven harassment. The current dissertation developed and disseminated a large survey to undergraduate students spanning three years of data collection. The survey assesses the frequency of in-person and electronic bias-related harassment victimization and perpetration, and potential personality, cognitive, and emotional variables that contribute to perpetration behavior. In doing so, results indicate several key findings; approximately 63% of students reported experiencing some form of identity-driven harassment, which was disproportionately experienced by students from underrepresented backgrounds. Students who experienced such behavior were more likely to engage informal support (e.g., turning to family and friends, ignoring the issue) as opposed to formal action (e.g., filing complaints, reporting to law enforcement). Anti-group attitudes (i.e., transphobia, homophobia, racism, antisemitism) were greater among students without marginalized identities. Variables such as identity salience, physical and verbal aggression, disgust, and dark tetrad personality features differentially predicted attitudinal and behavioral prejudice. Specifically, individuals with heightened prejudice and bias-related behavior scored significantly higher on antagonism, narcissism, Machiavellianism, sadism, and aggression proneness. Structural equation models attempted to elucidate relationships between attitudes and actions by examining moderation effects. These models uncovered some significant interaction effects, specifically between prejudice, Machiavellianism, and bias-related behavior; however, most hypothesized interactions did not emerge as significant likely due to low power. Overall, results highlight several psychological variables predictive of both attitudinal and behavioral prejudice among college students. These results have pertinent implications for threat assessment and management, bias-related interventions, and community outreach within a collegiate setting. Future areas for research are proposed based on these findings to better understand and prevent bias-related activity and promote safety among college students from diverse backgrounds.

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