Summary
The present study investigates the individual and interaction effects of sex, race, education, and age upon self-derogation. Data were collected by survey research methods from a sample (N=500) of the adult population of Harris County (including the city of Houston), Texas. Self-Derogation was measured by a factorially derived index. The individual effects of the social positions upon self-derogation were generally statistically nonsignificant and/or not uniform throughout the population. However, strong interaction effects were observed. Self-derogation was relatively great among: less educated white females; more educated Negro males; and less educated white males, aged 50–59. It was suggested that systematic consideration of the interaction effects of social positions would account for much of the inconsistency apparent in the related literature and would lead to further hypotheses regarding the genesis of negative self-attitudes.
Résumé
Dans la présente étude, on examine les effets, considérés individuellement et en interaction les uns avec les autres, du sexe, de la race, de l'éducation et de l'âge sur l'attitude négative à l'égard de soi-même. On a recueilli, au moyen des méthodes d'observation de recherche, les données fournies par un échantillon (N=500) de la population adulte de Harris County (comprenant la ville de Houston), Texas. L'attitude négative à l'égard de soi-même a été mesurée selon un index factoriel dérivé. Les effets individuels de la position sociale sur cette attitude négative étaient de façon générale statistiquement non significatifs et/ou non uniformes parmi la population. Par contre, en interaction avec d'autres facteurs, ces effets se sont révélés très prononcés. L'attitude négative à l'égard de soi-même était relativement grande parmi: les femmes blanches moins éduquées; les hommes noirs plus éduqués; et les hommes blancs moins éduqués de 50 à 59 ans. On pense qu'une prise en considération systématique des effets de la position sociale en interaction avec d'autres facteurs comblerait bien des lacunes de la littérature se rapportant à ce sujet et amènerait d'autres hypothèses concernant la genèse des attitudes négatives à l'égard de soi-même.
Zusammenfassung
Die vorliegende Untersuchung befaßt sich mit den individuellen und den miteinander in Beziehung stehenden Einflüssen von Geschlecht, Rasse, Bildung und Alter auf Selbsterniedrigung. Die Erhebung erfolgte über eine systematische Zufallsauswahl einer Stichprobe (N=500) aus der Erwachsenenpopulation von Harris County (einschließlich der Stadt Houston) in Texas. Selbsterniedrigung wurde mittels eines faktorenanalytisch abgeleiteten Index gemessen. Die individuellen Einflüsse von sozialen Positionen auf Selbsterniedrigung waren im allgemeinen statistisch nicht signifikant und/oder nicht einheitlich innerhalb der Bevölkerung. Jedoch wurden starke Interaktionseinflüsse beobachtet. Selbsterniedrigung war relativ ausgeprägt bei weniger gebildeten weißen Frauen, bei besser gebildeten männlichen Negern und bei weniger gebildeten weißen Männern zwischen 50 und 59 Jahren. Es wurde vorgeschlagen, daß die systematische Berücksichtigung der Interaktionswirkung von sozialen Positionen viel von der Widersprüchlichkeit erklären würde, die in der diesbezüglichen Literatur offenbar ist, und zu weiteren Hypothesen hinsichtlich des Ursprungs von negativen Einstellungen zur eigenen Person führen würde.
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Kaplan, H.B. Self-derogation and social position: Interaction effects of sex, race, education, and age. Soc Psychiatry 8, 92–99 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00589240
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00589240