Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Durik, Amanda M.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

LCSH

Social psychology

Abstract

In a series of three experiments, the promise of using Carver and Scheier's model of self-awareness as a framework for understanding utility value intervention effects was investigated. Three experiments were conducted to guide participants to consider the utility value of their Introduction to Psychology course. Some participants were prompted to self-generate their own ideas about utility of the course (a self-generated utility value intervention), whereas other participants had ideas about the utility of the course directly communicated to them (a directly communicated utility value intervention). Some participants received one of the possible two interventions, some received neither intervention, and others received both. Across the three experiments, the extent to which utility value interventions highlighted learners' self-discrepancies, induced a state of objective self-awareness, and affected final interest in psychology was examined. Results of Experiment 1, but not Experiment 2, suggest that the directly communicated utility value intervention increased ought-actual self-discrepancies relative to a control group. Experiment 2 results suggest that neither type of utility value intervention induced a state of objective self-awareness. Further, the results of all three experiments suggest that neither type of utility value intervention increased final interest in psychology relative to a control group. Exploratory analyses were conducted to further understand the results. Overall, the results suggest that in the present samples, Carver and Scheier's model of objective self-awareness may be of limited assistance in understanding utility value intervention effects.

Comments

Advisors: Amanda M. Durik.||Committee members: Anne Britt; Lisa M. Finkelstein; Brad Sagarin; Lee Shumow; John J. Skowronski.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

iii, 86 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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