Location
Room 2901
Session Format
Paper Presentation
Research Area Topic:
Humanities & Social Sciences - Psychology, Sociology & Political Science
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to examine the psychological effect of viewing news stories reporting on violent ISIS propaganda films. In particular, I am seeking to determine whether exposure to these news clips influences how people think about Muslims, Syrian refugees, political candidates, or unfair profiling in security policies, and whether psychological inflexibility, a construct taken from clinical psychology, influences this reaction. Psychological inflexibility is a behavioral trait that describes the degree to which people can tolerate distressing internal events, such as negative emotions, thoughts, and pain, and whether a person modifies his or her own behavior in order to avoid feeling those internal events. Some previous research suggests that psychological inflexibility is one factor that is implicated in discrimination, suggesting that discriminatory acts are attempts at down-regulating distressing internal emotions that occur when a person comes into contact with a person who is different than him or her. It is hypothesized that people high on the trait of psychological inflexibility will react with more prejudice when exposed to news stories depicting violent ISIS propaganda. This would confirm that support for certain political candidates or security policies are attempts to make people feel better when exposed to news about violent threats to their safety, security, or ways of life. To test this theory, a diverse online sample and a student sample will be given a survey that includes a CNN news broadcast of either an ISIS propaganda film, an emotional CNN broadcast unrelated to terrorism, or a neutral CNN broadcast. Then, participants will be given instruments to measure emotional reactions, feelings toward Muslims and others, and support for various security policies. After the main hypothesis is tested, other correlations between personality variables and reactions to other groups will be examined, including opinions about political parties and other historically disadvantaged groups such as migrant farm workers. This study will inform the public, the news media, and others who have a vested interest in terrorism propaganda on the reactions that people have to terrorism and how it is portrayed in the media. It may also shed light on some psychological variables that influence how people respond to terrorism, as well as helping us understand the appeal of various presidential candidates and security policies in light of people's emotions. Finally, it may show how variables from clinical psychology might be relevant in seemingly unrelated academic areas.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-16-2016 9:30 AM
End Date
4-16-2016 10:30 AM
Recommended Citation
Hatton, Arthur T., "Psychological Inflexibility and Prejudiced Reactions When Exposed to Violent ISIS Propaganda" (2016). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 187.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2016/2016/187
Psychological Inflexibility and Prejudiced Reactions When Exposed to Violent ISIS Propaganda
Room 2901
The purpose of this research is to examine the psychological effect of viewing news stories reporting on violent ISIS propaganda films. In particular, I am seeking to determine whether exposure to these news clips influences how people think about Muslims, Syrian refugees, political candidates, or unfair profiling in security policies, and whether psychological inflexibility, a construct taken from clinical psychology, influences this reaction. Psychological inflexibility is a behavioral trait that describes the degree to which people can tolerate distressing internal events, such as negative emotions, thoughts, and pain, and whether a person modifies his or her own behavior in order to avoid feeling those internal events. Some previous research suggests that psychological inflexibility is one factor that is implicated in discrimination, suggesting that discriminatory acts are attempts at down-regulating distressing internal emotions that occur when a person comes into contact with a person who is different than him or her. It is hypothesized that people high on the trait of psychological inflexibility will react with more prejudice when exposed to news stories depicting violent ISIS propaganda. This would confirm that support for certain political candidates or security policies are attempts to make people feel better when exposed to news about violent threats to their safety, security, or ways of life. To test this theory, a diverse online sample and a student sample will be given a survey that includes a CNN news broadcast of either an ISIS propaganda film, an emotional CNN broadcast unrelated to terrorism, or a neutral CNN broadcast. Then, participants will be given instruments to measure emotional reactions, feelings toward Muslims and others, and support for various security policies. After the main hypothesis is tested, other correlations between personality variables and reactions to other groups will be examined, including opinions about political parties and other historically disadvantaged groups such as migrant farm workers. This study will inform the public, the news media, and others who have a vested interest in terrorism propaganda on the reactions that people have to terrorism and how it is portrayed in the media. It may also shed light on some psychological variables that influence how people respond to terrorism, as well as helping us understand the appeal of various presidential candidates and security policies in light of people's emotions. Finally, it may show how variables from clinical psychology might be relevant in seemingly unrelated academic areas.
