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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 1
Factors Affecting Person Perception
Robert S. Ochman
Central Connecticut State University
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
Abstract
The present study examined how being adopted impacts how others rate their general levels of
likability and trustworthiness. Participants were undergraduate students attending Central
Connecticut State University and were randomly assigned to one of two groups with a story
describing an individual who is either adopted or not adopted in order to determine which type of
individual received a more positive perception from participants. It was concluded that
participants did not rate the adopted individual significantly different than the non-adopted
individual, as assessed by the Reysen Likability Scale (Reysen, 2005), and less trustworthy, as
assessed by the Galanxhi Trustworthiness Measure (Galanxhi, 2007). Adopted children are
overrepresented in mental treatment settings, and harsh social judgments could be a contributing
factor that needs to be addressed when revising social service systems to increase the chances
that adopted individuals succeed. If adopted children are perceived differently than non-adopted
children in a negative way, than there are steps and processes that need to be taken to aid these
individuals with their automatic disadvantage to help them thrive and succeed.
Keywords: adoption, perception, likeability, trustworthiness, mental health
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 3
Adoption Attitudes and Impact on Social Likability, Trustworthiness
In the United States, there are an estimated tens of billions of lives are touched by the
process of adoption whether it be adoptive parents, birth parents, or close relatives of the
adoption party (Pertman, 2011). Nearly 60% of Americans note that they have had a direct
experience with adoption, whether it is being an adoptive parent, knowing someone who has
been adopted, or releasing their child for adoption (Donaldson, 2002). Based on past surveys, it
is already known that woman have more positive attitudes towards adoption than males
(Gibbons, Rufener, & Wilson, 2006). Though attitudes towards adoption in the United State are
becoming more positive, the gender gap has not changed (Gibbons et al., 2006). In 1997, Evan
B. Donaldson’s Adoption Institute revealed that 36% of women compared to 27% of men
considered adopting while, 43% of women compared to 35% of men considered adoption in
2011 (Brodzinsky, 1997, 2011). Brodzinsky (1997) stressed that there was a strong correlation of
women desiring children more than men, but adoption was clearly more favored with females.
With a rise in adoption numbers, woman continue to adopt children at a higher rate than men
which can be expected to stay the same until the male outlook on adoption changes.
From this research, it seems clear that adults and other figures in the adoption field view
adoption as a positive option, but many young people are resistant, hesitant and cautious about
adoption (Diehl, Howse, & Trivette, 2011). If adults are still cautious and hesitant about
adoption, young adults and peers will most likely be cautious and resistant as well. Adopted
children experience an internal loss in social status after finding out their peers have negative
views toward individuals who are adopted meaning they will most likely apply the views of their
peers to themselves (Brodzinsky, 2011). Already susceptible and at risk to mental illness, these
negative social perceptions about adoption could lead to low self-esteem for an adoptee, which is
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
comorbid and a risk factor for even more mental illnesses. While adoption is widely accepted, it
is often seen as the second best route to parenthood and is viewed as less desirable than
biological parenthood (Brodzinsky, 2006). Much of society see do not see adoption as an ideal
route for a child, and at that one for them to succeed. An individual being adopted could
potentially be viewed as less likable and trustworthy just because of the sole fact they are
adopted.
There are three categories of adoption in the United States including adoption through
foster care, inter-country adoption, and domestic adoption. There are several types of adoption
for each general category. One type of adoption is trans-racial adoption, which is the adoption of
a child of an ethnicity that differs from adoptive parents. Lee, Crolley-Simic and Vonk (2011)
preformed a study on the attitudes toward trans-racial adoption and concluded that Caucasians
were more accepting of trans-racial adoption than African-Americans, because African-
Americans believed that these children would be detached from their cultural values and Africa-
American families provide children with better tools they could use to survive in a racist society.
Unlike regular adoption, African-American women were far less supportive than any other group
in the study (Lee, Crolley-Simic & Vonk, 2011). This research would insinuate another
limitation on the positive perception of adoption because of the outlook on mixed-race adoption.
Of the most common of adoptions, open and close adoptions are considered as the
socially ideal types of adoption. Open adoption is adoption of when the biological parents and
adoptive parents are familiar with each other and can initiate contact based on terms of the
adoption (Brown et al., 2007). This is typically the case with most children who are adopted
domestically through foster care or private organizations (Brown et al., 2007). Closed adoption is
when an infant is adopted at birth, and the biological parents are not given information about the
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 5
adoptive family so that they cannot contact the child and their adoptive parents. Though this does
happen with domestic adoptions, it is often a main route for inter-country adoptions (Faulkner,
2012).
Developmental and Clinical Issues
Adopted children are overrepresented in mental health settings, and psychologists are
constantly being used to help understand these children’s unique and individual developmental
issues faced throughout lifetime (reviewed by Brodzinsky, 2011). Adopted children also display
higher number of mental health symptoms, including learning problems, compared to their non-
adopted peers (Brodzinsky, 2011). Adopted individuals experience loss, and few people realize
the full capacity of their loss. After all, the adopted have lost family, and their potential pain may
go unrecognized most of the time. Furthermore, when these losses go unrecognized, adopted
children feel less supported which can lead to mental health symptoms. In short, unresolved
issues surrounding loss could at least partially, explain elevated rates of mental illness in adopted
individuals (Brodzinsky, 2011).
Family dynamics and parent-child relationships have effects on an individual’s self-
esteem and identity, thus leading to adjustment difficulties and making it harder to engage
socially for these children (Brozinsky, 2011). These family dynamics include maternal care,
affection for the children, and parental motivation. When compared to non-adopted individuals,
adopted children do not show higher levels of self-esteem problems. In fact, the only real
difference was the amount of mental health recommendations adopted individuals have
compared to those who are not adopted (Brodzinsky, 2011). Based on previous research, it is
known that adopted children are more at risk for mental illness but this sheds light on the fact
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
that adoptees are diagnosed with mental illness and recommended for help more than individuals
who were not adopted. With that being said, adopted children will take more effort and
Brodzinsky believed there were paths parents could take to help these children with these
imminent difficulties such as being emotionally available, validating and normalizing questions
and curiosity, and being prepared for adoption-related loss and grief (Brodzinsky, 2011).
Myths about Adoption
Adoption myths are false beliefs that are widely held in attempt to explain cultural
phenomenon and justify existing cultural arrangements (Brown, Ryan & Pushkal. 2007).
Adoption myths are said to be deterrents to adoption and also contribute to the careless adoption
placements, which are used to assess for openness and how well the child fits within the family.
One common myth about adoption would be that less contact with the biological mother would
be better for child and adoptive parents, yet studies show that open adoption and post adoption
contact increased comfort and satisfaction for the birth parents, adoptive parents and the child
(Young & Neil, 2004). Furthermore, contact improved attitudes toward how well adoption was
going and decreased competitiveness between parents, and fear that the child would get stolen by
biological parents (Brown et al., 2007). The population tends to think that when individuals are
adopted, family bonds are healed and both the parents and adoptees move on from previous torn
relationships but that is a false belief. Though adoption helps form new and effective bonds,
there is still likely to be attachment problems for the adopted child (Brown et al., 2007). It is
recommended that all adoptions should be evaluated for openness or to make sure the child will
fit in the adopted home, but indications show that this is not considered in all cases (Brown et al.,
2007). In fact, Berry (1993) discovered that nearly two thirds of adoptions had no form of
planning pre-placement. To this day, individuals who consider adoption are cautious, and
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 7
resistant because of the things they hear about adoption. These myths are contributing factors to
the views people have towards adoption in general, and may affect the way these individuals are
perceived by their the society and the population.
Previous Studies
A study once preformed my K.S Marquis and R.A Detweiler, was critiqued by David M.
Brodzinsky in hopes to prove Marquis and Detweiler’s point that adopted individual’s had a
better outlook on life than do their peers who were not adopted. Brodzinsky suggested that their
results had serious methodological limitations, which goes to show how under researched this
topic is (Brodzinksy, 1987). Brodzinsky critiqued a study that concluded adopted individuals had
a more positive outlook on life than non-adopted individuals because they had several limitations
for that study including faulty interpretation of results, a biased review of the adoption literature
and subject sampling problem (Brodzinsky, 1987). A study conducted at University of Carolina
showed that college students exhibited a more positive attitude toward a couple having a
biological baby, rather than adopting a child (Bonds-Raacke, 2009). Much like the current study,
participants were given two stories which differed only in the fact that the child in the story was
adopted. Previous studies also fail to look for college student’s attitudes toward their peers who
are adopted to examine young adults outlook on adoption.
Summary
Adoption is often an overlooked issue in society that requires more research attention.
Attitudes toward adoption should be assessed more often because negative attitudes can have
negative consequences for the adoptee. Adopted children are already at risk for mental illness
because of underdeveloped attachment bonds and family loss, and consequently social likability
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
and trustworthiness contribute to the risk of mental illness (Brodzinsky, 2011). Like many other
children, adopted children will have their trouble adjusting. Perhaps, some will have more
trouble than others, but the main goal for a parent is to be ready to address their child’s
difficulties and help them adjust according to their abilities. When adoptees feel less supported it
can lead to more clinical symptoms and is a key reason why they are often presented in mental
health settings. Knowing how people feel about adoption and the adopted can help us set up a
course for adopted children to take to better set them up for success. It also prepares them for
social encounters, thus making them more likeable, trustworthy and to get rid of misassumptions.
The purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was intended to determine whether being adopted has an
influence on the way individuals like and trust these adoptees. During this study, characters from
a story were rated in likability and trustworthiness. One hypotheses of this study was that, when
assessing an individual on a likability scale, those who were described as adopted would be less
liked than those who have not been described as adopted and raised by their biological family. It
was hypothesized that females would rate those described as adopted higher on likeability than
those who have not been described as adopted. Another hypothesis of the present study is that
when assessing an individual on a trustworthiness scale, those who are adopted will be less liked
than those who were raised by their biological family. It was also hypothesized that females
would rate those who were described as adopted higher than males on the trustworthiness scale
than those who were described as not adopted. A hypothesis of an interaction effect is females
will rate adopted individuals higher on likability and trustworthiness scales than males will. It is
important to understand attitudes toward adoption because it affects foster children’s positive
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 9
views toward adoption and could affect how people feel about adopting or being adopted. Also,
adopted children may need to be assisted and accommodated because of these disadvantages.
Method
Participants
Participants consisted of 67 students enrolled in psychology classes at Central
Connecticut State University. Students received extra credit in their courses in exchange for their
participation. 59% of participating students were female (n= 23). The majority of students were
Caucasian (n =28; 71%). 5% described their ethnicity as African-American (n = 2) and 18%
described their ethnicity as Latino-American (n = 7). The average age of participants was 21
years.
Measure
Participants were administered a demographics questionnaire (see Appendix A), and
were then provided one of two vignettes (see Appendix D, or E) and then asked to fill out
Reysen Likability Scale (Reysen, 2005) (see Appendix B), and the Trustworthiness Measure
(Galanxhi & Nah, 2007) (see Appendix C) to describe their perceptions of the person depicted in
the vignette. After reading their assigned vignette, participants were asked to complete a Post-
Vignette quiz, in which they needed to answer the question asking if the party being described in
the story is adopted or not. Scores were not counted if participants answered the question
incorrectly, as they looked over the most important part of the story.
Reysen Likability Scale (RLS). The Reysen Likability scale is an 11-item questionnaire
that measures the perceived likability of a target individual (Reysen, 2011). Responses range
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
from very strongly agree to very strongly disagree. Higher scores indicate that the person
perceives the target individual as likable. Internal consistency estimates are high at .95 (Reysen,
2005). Cronbach’s Alpha was .953.
Trustworthiness Measure (TM). The Trustworthiness Measure consists of 15 items
assessed on a 7 point scale. Numbers “1” and “7” indicate strong feelings, as these are the high
scores. Numbers “3” and “5” indicate fairly weak feelings, as these are the medium scores. The
number “4” indicates being undecided or neutral, which are low scores. Internal consistency
estimates are high at .94 (Galanxhi, 2007). Cronbach’s Alpha was .869.
Post-Vignette Quiz. The Post-Vignette quiz is a 5 item questionnaire made for this study
to show how well participants read their assigned vignette. If their question regarding whether
the individual was adopted or not was answered incorrectly then their scores were not used for
data collection.
Procedure
Participants completed several self-report measures at different scheduled times of the
day throughout the week. Reading off my script (see Appendix H), I welcomed participants and
cleared up any confusion before starting the session. Upon arrival, students were provided
informed consent forms to read and sign in order to indicate their willingness to participate (see
Appendix I). In order to maintain their confidentiality and privacy, signed informed consent
forms were also separated from the actual data collected and individuals were then given one of
two vignettes, either vignette one (see Appendix D) or vignette two (see Appendix E). After
reading these vignettes, participants were asked to rate the person depicted in the vignettes on a
Likeability measure (see Appendix B) and a Trustworthiness measure (see Appendix C), based
10
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 11
on what they had read about the individual. The vignettes describe the life of a typical college
student, and are identical except one of the students is describes ad being adopted and the other is
described as not adopted. After participants read their specified story, they were required to take
a Post-Vignette quiz (see Appendix F), which determined how well the participant read their
story. If participants incorrectly answered the question regarding if the individual depicted in
their story was adopted or not, their answers were not used. Each measure, including
demographics questionnaire, had detailed instructions for filling out the tests that were
administered. After handing in their completed surveys, participants were given a debriefing
form (see Appendix G). Any questions participants had were answered when asked and
participants were able to leave the study after they had completed all measures and debriefing
was distributed.
Results
Univariate analyses of variances (ANOVA) were conducted to examine the relationship
of being adopted and how people rate these individuals in likeability and trustworthiness. Using
the Bonferroni method, each ANOVA was tested at the .025 level. Results indicated there was
not a significant difference in likeability between the adopted vignette (M = 4.85, SD = 1.23) and
the non-adopted vignette (M = 4.97, SD = 1.26), F(1, 37) = .084, p = .774. Results indicated
there was not a significant difference in Trustworthiness between the adopted vignette (M = 3.01,
SD = .772) and the non-adopted vignette (M = 2.86 , SD = 1.11), F(1, 37) = .225.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to analyze whether adopted individuals are perceived
differently than individuals who are not adopted. It was hypothesized that the individual who
was adopted would be rated lower on likeability than the non-adopted individual and the
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
individual who was adopted would be rated higher on the trustworthiness measures than the
individual who was not adopted. After all results were analyzed, it was concluded that
individuals who were adopted we’re rated slightly lower on both measures than the individual
who was not adopted but the differences were not eye-opening. Adopted individuals are more at
risk for mental health issues, and social issues than an individual who was not adopted. Though
attitudes towards adoption are becoming more positive, adoption is still seen as the second best
route for a child to succeed. Many myths have been applied to the label of adoption, and
contribute to hesitancy and resistance of entering the world of adoption.
Limitations and Future Research
There were some limitations to this study, as more participants could have been recruited.
Since some participants weren’t used due to failure of the post-vignette quiz, the sample of this
study was smaller than intended. Participants were recruited using the CCSU SONA system,
which is a convenience sample and a population that is closer to the United States or world
population would have been more ideal.
The measures for this study worked well, but adding more measures to rate person
perception would have helped get a better idea of how participants really viewed their individual
depicted in the story. Likeability and trustworthiness worked well outcome measures, but
varying the measures I used might have found some significant differences for other
characteristics of perception. Some participants also found it difficult understanding how to rate
the individual on the Reysen Likeability scale, so more clear instructions and rating scales will
be used in the future.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 13
Scores on outcome measures would be affected in the participant has been touched in
some way by adoption whether it’s being adoptive parents, close relatives of adopted members,
acquainted with someone who has been adopted, or adopted themselves. The fact that the
participant’s life has been touched by adoption is a contributing variable and grouping
participants based on whether they have had adoption in their life or not would have been a
strong grouping variable to compare scores between.
Another problem that arose was participants missing the key point of the study, which
was if the individual was adopted or not adopted. Participants most likely skimmed through the
story, rated the individual, and didn’t excerpt the fact that the individual was adopted. In future
research, I will make key point more apparent to participants to ensure more accurate responses
for measurement. Also, more participants would have passed the Post-Vignette quiz, making my
sample larger.
Implications
Though results were not significant, these results should be interpreted within the context
of this studies limitations. Previous research has shown that there are in fact differences in the
way people view adoption, and individuals who are adopted compared to those who are not. This
study did not contribute to the literature, but a researcher may be able to replicate this study and
adjust the study to get a better reaction from the independent variable, and use an assortment of
measures regarding person perception. The present study could have been better if a larger
sample was used, a wide-arrange of outcome measures were used, and if groups were made
differently. What can be derived from this study is that adoption may be seen as a second best
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
route for children, but peer-perception of individuals who are adopted compared to others is
statistically harmless.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 15
References
Brodzinsky, David M. (2011). Children’s understanding of adoption: developmental and clinical
implications. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42(2), 200-207.
Doi:10.1037/a0022415
Brodzinsky, David M. (1987). Looking at adoption through rose-colored glasses: A critique of
Marquis and Detweiler’s ‘Does adoption mean different? An attributional
anaylysis’. Journal of Personality and Social Psyschology, 52(2), 394-398. doi:
10.1037/022- 3514.52.2.394
Bonds-Raacke, Jennifer. (2009). College student’s attitudes toward adoption: A brief note.
College Student Journal, 43(1), 132-135.
Brown, D., Ryan, S., & Pushkal, J. T. (2007). Internal validation of the open adoption scale:
Measuring the influence of adoption myths on attitudes toward open adoption.
Adoption Quarterly, 10 (3-4), 179-196. doi: 10.1080/10926750802163246
Diehl, D. C, Howse, R. B., & Trivette, C. M. (2010). Youth in foster care: Developmental assets
and attitudes towards adoption and mentoring. Child and Family Social Work, 16
(1), 81-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2010.00716.x
Gibbons, J. L., Brown, C. M. (2012). Modeling adoption attitudes: Recalled maternal warmth,
affection for children, and parenting motivation. Adoption Quarterly, 15(2), 140-
156. doi: 10.1080/10926755.2012.681597
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
Gibbons, J. L., Ruefener, C.A., & Wilson, S. L. (2006). Sex differences in adoption attitudes:
The mediating effects of gender role attitudes. Adoption Quarterly, 9(2/3), 105-
119. doi: 10.1300/J145v9n02_06
Hollingsworth, Leslie D. (2003). When an adoption disrupts: A study of public attitudes. Family
relations, 52(2), 161-166. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2003.00161.x
Klahr, A. M., Burt, A. S., McGue, M., & Iacono, W.G. (2011). The association between parent-child
conflict and adolescent conduct problems over time: Results from a longitudinal
adoption study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120(1), 46-56. doi: 10.1037/a0021350
Lee, J., Crolley-Simic, J., & Vonk, E. M. (2013). MSW student’s attitudes toward transracial adoption.
Journal of Social Work Education, 49(1), 122-135. doi: 10.1080/10437797.2013.755417
Madden, E. E. Open Adoption and Post-Adoption Birth Family Contact: A Comparison of
Non-Relative Foster and Private Adoptions. Adoption Quarterly, 15, 35-56.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 17
Appendix A
Demographics Questionnaire
Thank you for agreeing to complete this questionnaire. All of your responses will be kept confidential.
You may choose to omit any question you do not feel comfortable answering. Please answer each
question honestly and to the best of your knowledge.
Please do NOT complete anything in bold font.
Participant Code _______________
What is your age? ____________ What is your biological sex? __________
What is your race/ethnicity? (Please check all that apply.)
☐ Black or African-American ☐ Non-Hispanic White
☐ Asian or Asian-American ☐ Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
☐ Hispanic or Latino(a) ☐ American Indian or Alaska Native
☐ Other _________________________________________
Do you have a major? (circle one) Yes No If yes, what is your major? _____________________________
How many credits have you COMPLETED towards your degree? _______
How many credits are you taking this semester? ________ What is your cumulative GPA? _________
Do you live on campus or do you commute? ___________________________________________
How many hours a week are you employed? _______
How many hours a week do you devote to schoolwork outside of attending classes? ________
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
Appendix B
Reysen Likability Scale
Instructions: Circle how strongly you agree with each statement.
1. This person is friendly.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
2. This person is likeable.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
3. This person is warm.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
4. This person is approachable.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
5. I would ask this person for advice.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
6. I would like this person as a coworker.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 19
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
7. I would like this person as a roommate.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
8. I would like to be friends with this person.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
9. This person is physically attractive.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
10. This person is similar to me.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
11. This person is knowledgeable.
Very Strongly | Strongly | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly | Very Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
Appendix C
Trustworthiness Measure
Instructions: On the scales below, please indicate your feelings about the individual depicted in
the story. Circle the number between the adjectives that best represents your feeling about the
individual in the story. Numbers ‘‘1’’ and ‘‘7’’ indicate a very strong feeling. Numbers ‘‘3’’ and
‘‘5’’ indicate a fairly weak feeling. Number ‘‘4’’ indicates you are undecided or do not
understand the adjectives themselves. There is no right or wrong answer.
Reliable 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Unreliable
Uninformed 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Informed
Unqualified 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Qualified
Intelligent 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Unintelligent
Valuable 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Worthless
Inexpert 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Expert
Honest 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Dishonest
Unfriendly 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Friendly
Pleasant 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Unpleasant
Selfish 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Unselfish
Awful 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Nice
Virtuous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Sinful
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 21
Appendix D
Vignette 1
Please read the following story about a college student named Michael. When you are finished reading, turn to the next page and answer the following questionnaires based on what you derived from the story. Feel free to detach this sheet in order to refer back to the story when filling out questionnaires.
Michael is 21 years old, and a senior at Arizona State University. His hometown is
Milford, CT and currently lives at an off campus apartment with three of his roommates. All
three of Michael’s roommates have gone to school with him from Kindergarten through college.
Michael is studying Business Management and hopes to one day open up his own restaurant or
food truck. He wants to become head chef and handle the business aspects of the restaurant.
Hobbies include working out, hanging out with his friends, and watching sports. Michael comes
from a family where he’s the only child, and the son of Ann and Angelo. While growing up
Michael participated in many extracurricular activities including Football, Cross Country, and
achieved a black belt in karate. He was also in Ski and Snowboard club for five years, and still
snowboards. During middle school, Michael played percussion in the school band where he
excelled in snare drum solos and eventually became the section leader when he moved on to high
school. Michael has an above average social life, where he is described to have a wide array of
friends, and is continuously hanging out with different groups of people. Michael is constantly
looking out for others, and often puts them in front of himself. In fact, Michael has only been in
one physical altercation which involved protecting his best friend from a bully during high
school.
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
Appendix E
Vignette 2
Please read the following story about a college student named Michael. When you are finished reading, turn to the next page and answer the following questionnaires based on what you derived from the story. Feel free to detach this sheet in order to refer back to the story when filling out questionnaires.
Michael is 21 years old, and a senior at Arizona State University. His hometown is
Milford, CT and currently lives at an off campus apartment with three of his roommates. All 3 of
Michael’s roommates have gone to school with him from Kindergarten through college Michael
is studying Business Management and hopes to one day open up his own restaurant or food
truck. He wants to become head chef and handle the business aspects of the restaurant. Hobbies
include working out, hanging out with his friends, and watching sports. Michael comes from a
family of two children, both sons of Ann and Angelo. Michael’s brother, Marc is not his
biological brother because Michael was adopted at birth. While growing up Michael participated
in many extracurricular activities including Football, Cross Country, and achieved a black belt in
karate. He was also in Ski and Snowboard club for 5 years, and still snowboards. During middle
school, Michael played percussion in the school band where he excelled in snare drum solos and
eventually became the section leader when he moved on to high school. Michael has an above
average social life, where he is described to have a wide array of friends, and is continuously
hanging out with different groups of people. Michael is constantly looking out for others, and
often puts them in front of himself.. In fact, Michael has only been in one physical altercation
which involved protecting his best friend from a bully during high school.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 23
Appendix F
Post-Vignette Quiz
Please answer these questions based on the story you previously read.
What is the name of the individual depicted in the story?
A.) NickB.) MichaelC.) RobertD.) Jason
Where did this individual go to school?
A.) Central Connecticut State UniversityB.) San Diego State UniversityC.) University of South CarolinaD.) Arizona State University
True or False: Michael is majoring in Psychological Sciences.
A.) TrueB.) False
Fill in the blank: Michael was ___________.
A.) ArrestedB.) AdoptedC.) An only childD.) Deported
Where is Michael’s hometown?
A.) MilfordB.) New HavenC.) HartfordD.) New Britain
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Appendix G
Debriefing
Thank you for participating in my study. I am examining attitudes toward adoption. In particular, I am examining perceptions of likeability and trustworthiness. This topic is important because perceptions regarding adopted individuals have not been carefully studied. It would be important to understand stigma potentially associated with adoption.
To this end, I asked you to read a short story and rate the main character on tests that measure likeability and trustworthiness of an individual. Some participants received a story in which the main character was adopted. Other participants read the same story with the information about adoption omitted.
When I described to this study to you, I didn’t clearly state that I was examining whether knowledge of one’s adoption affects perceptions of the adopted individual. Rather, I told you that I was studying factors affecting person perception. I couldn’t reveal the exact nature of the study or my expectations about the outcome of the study because such information could have biased your responses. To draw valid conclusions from this study, I needed to ensure that you responded as free from bias as possible. Please do not discuss the specifics of this study with students who might participate in the future; the information you provide could bias their responses.
I asked you to participate in this study to fulfill a course requirement in my Research Methods II course (PSY 222). Your responses will help us better understand how being adopted is a factor in the way people perceive an individual. I may present or publish these findings. Your responses will be kept confidential and your individual responses will be averaged with other participants from the study.
If you are uncomfortable or dissatisfied with participating in this study, you can request that I destroy your responses right now. If you have any questions about this study, please contact me, Robert Ochman, (203.913.6862 or [email protected]) or Dr. Marianne Fallon (860.832.3181 or [email protected]).
Once again, thank you for your help!
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Appendix H
Script
BEFORE STUDY BEGINS, HAVE READY:
Demographics Questionnaire Informed Consent Forms Envelope for Informed Consent Form Pen and or Pencil Reysen Likeability Scale Trustworthiness Scale Vignette 1 (Non-Adopted Individual) Vignette 2 (Adopted Individual) Post-Vignette Quiz Debriefing Form
DURING THE STUDY:
Welcome participants and instruct them to sit… “Hi. My name is Robert Ochman and I am a student in Research Methods for
Psychological Science. As part of our course, we ask a research question develop a study to investigate it. We ask other students – you! – to participate in our studies so that we can answer our question. Thanks for coming to my study today.
Please silence your cell phones and put them away. You will not need them for the rest of the study. Thanks!
I am examining Factors Affecting Person Perception. During today’s session, you will be asked to fill out informed consent form and the still will begin only after forms are signed, returned, and closed in the Informed Consent Envelope. After reading the story, please rate the person depicted in the story to the best of your ability on both self-report measures. This study should take you 30 minutes to complete Does anyone have any questions? [Wait. Answer questions as needed.] Whenever you have a question, please put up your hand and I will address it as best I can.
First, I will distribute an informed consent form. Please read it carefully – it describes important information about my study. If you decide that you want to participate, please sign and date the back of the form and place it in this envelope. [Show envelope.] Does anyone need a pen? [Provide pens as needed.] If you choose not to participate, you can
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
simply leave at this time. It is your right to discontinue your participation at any time during the study without penalty. I have extra informed consent forms at the front of the room; please feel free to take one if you would like to keep it for your records. When everyone has returned his or her informed consent, we will continue with the study.”
Distribute informed consent forms. Place remaining forms at the front of the room. Wait for participants to place informed consents in envelope.
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ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION 27
Appendix I
Informed Consent Form
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITTY
Department of Psychological Sciences
1615 Stanley Street
New Britain, CT 06050
Factors Affecting Person Perception
Robert S. Ochman – Undergraduate Student in the Department of Psychological Science
e-mail address: [email protected]
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Laura Bowman
Phone number: (860) 832-3118
e-mail address: [email protected]
INFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT
1.) Invitation to Participate and Description of the Project. As a student in CCSU’s Department of Psychological Science, I am conducting a study on factors affecting person perception in order to further our understanding of this topic. I am asking you to participate in the study. You volunteered to attend today’s session through your enrollment in the SONA online recruitment system. Your participation in this research study is voluntary. Before agreeing to be part of this study, please read/or listen to the following information carefully. Feel free to ask questions if you do not understand something.
2. ) Description of procedure. In this study, you will be asked to report some demographic information (e.g., age, biological sex). Then you will be asked to read a story and answer some factual questions about the story and make some judgments about the main character in the story. This study should take you approximately 20 minutes to complete, although some participants may require more time.
ATTITUDES TOWARD ADOPTION
3.) Risks and Inconveniences. There is a possibility that some of the questions in the surveys may make you feel uncomfortable. This rarely happens, but if you do feel uncomfortable, you can do any of the following: you can choose not to answer certain questions; you can take a break and continue later, you can choose to stop the research. If you wish you can call Professor Laura Bowman at (860.832.3118), the Student Wellness Center at (860) 832-1945, or someone else of your choosing to talk about your feelings.
4.) Benefits. This study is not designed to benefit you directly. However, there is some possibility that you may learn things about being a participant in psychological research. Further, your participation will help us learn more about person perception.
5.) Financial (or other) considerations. You will receive 1 SONA credit for your participation or, if recruited in person, you will receive credit consistent with your course instructor’s policy.
6.) Confidentiality. Any and all information obtained from you during the study will be confidential. You will not be identified individually in any way as a result of your participation in this research. The data collected, however, may be used as part of publications and papers related to person perception. When reporting findings, I will add your responses to those of all of the other participants in the study. Thus, I will not report your individual responses. Rather, I will report group averages.
7.) Voluntary Participation. Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to participate in this research. Such refusal will not have any negative consequences for you. If you begin to participate in the study, you may at ANY time, for ANY reason, discontinue your participation without any negative consequences.
8.) Other considerations and questions. Please feel free to ask any questions about anything that seems unclear to you and to consider this research and consent form carefully before you sign.
Authorization: I have read the above information and I have decided that I will participate in the project described above. The researcher has explained the study to me and answered my questions. I know what will be asked of me. I understand that the purpose of the study is to better understand factors affecting person perception. If I don't participate, there will be no penalty or loss of rights. I can stop participating at any time, even after I have started. I agree to participate in the study. My signature below indicates that I have been offered a copy of this consent form for my records and that I am at least 18 years of age or that I have filed a parental consent form with my instructor.
Participant’s signature_____________________________
Name (please print)________________________________
Researcher signature_______________________________
Name (please print) ______________________________
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Date_________________ Date________________
If you have further questions about this research project, please contact the principal investigator, Robert Ochman, at (203) 913-6862, e-mail: [email protected] or faculty supervisor If you have questions about your rights as a participant or if you have a research-related complaint please contact Dr. Jennifer Hedlund, Chair, CCSU Human Studies Council at (860) 832-2968, email [email protected].
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Descriptive Statistics
VignetteType Mean Std. Deviation N
Likeability Adopted Individual 4.8523 1.29924 16
Non-Adopted Individual 4.9723 1.25532 23
Total 4.9231 1.25787 39
Trustworthiness Adopted Individual 3.0156 .77233 16
Non-Adopted Individual 2.8623 1.11821 23
Total 2.9252 .98245 39
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