Master's Theses

Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the environmental context in which early recollections (ERs) were collected would exercise some effect on the nature of their contents. Twenty six female third-year nursing majors and twenty six female third-year education majors were asked to write three ERs each, under either major area classroom (In-Context) or Ecumenical Center (Neutral Out-Context) conditions. Two judges scored their ERs for the frequency of references to religious, medical-health, and educational-teaching themes. It was expected that the Ecumenical Center would not increase the frequency of religious themes, since neither student subject groups were in training for religious careers. It was expected, however that each specific subject group would produce more major- relevant themes in their major-relevant classrooms than in their major-irrelevant setting. There was a strong trend in the data supportive of the first hypothesis but to a lesser extent in the case of the second hypothesis. However, the trends in the data were promising enough to justify its replication with certain methodological improvements. From Adlerian theory one would have expected that each major group would have produced significantly more ERs supportive of their occupational choice, one major component of lifestyle, but such was not the case in this study. The value of this study would seem to lie in its suggesting another perspective from which ERs may be investigated in the absence in the literature of any attempt to do so.

Keywords

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Ronald G. Smith

Date of Award

Fall 1975

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

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