Doctoral Dissertation Research: Weight-based Discrimination and Group Interactions: An Expansion of Status Characteristics Theory

SES-1602839 Carla Goar Bobbie ReidingerKent州立大学这项研究通过测试体重是否作为一种状态特征；具体地说，它是否作为一种被激活、组织性能预期和影响任务行为的区分特征，来考察体重对任务导向型群体的影响。使用标准的实验设置，通过检查影响力来衡量体重对社会过程的影响。在这些实验中，不同权重的参与者将根据实验条件与他们的同伴一起完成两项任务。在考虑了他们的搭档S的回答后，每个参与者除了自己的答案外，还将提交一份最终的小组报告。参与者接受或拒绝伴侣的频率是多少？S的回答考虑到了一定程度的影响力。假设合作伙伴的权重将直接影响影响力度量，而不考虑参与者的权重。新兴的肥胖研究领域表明，肥胖在美国社会中具有负面的社会影响，超越了种族、性别和阶级类别；然而，在社会学的社会心理学文献中，体重并没有被作为一种地位特征来探索。将体重作为一种弥漫的地位特征来考察，将拓展社会学的社会心理学文献，特别是期望状态和地位特征理论，以及脂肪研究的新兴领域。更多的理论理解将加强对基于体重的歧视和群体互动的研究。随着对群体依赖的增长，对影响群体互动的特征有更多的理解是必要的。拟议研究的结果可能导致制定和实施社会干预措施，以减少不同群体中基于体重的歧视。

SES-1602839Carla GoarBobbie ReidingerKent State UniversityThis research examines the impact of body weight in task-oriented groups by testing whether weight behaves as a status characteristic; specifically, whether it serves as a differentiating characteristic that becomes activated, organizes performance expectations, and impacts task behaviors. Using a standard experimental setting, the impact of weight on social processes is measured through an examination of influence. In these experiments, differently weighted participants will work with their partner, dependent on the experimental condition, to complete two tasks. After considering their partner?s responses, each participant will submit a final group report in addition to their individual answers. How often a participant accepts or rejects their partner?s answers allows for a measure of influence. It is hypothesized that the weight of the partner will directly impact measures of influence regardless of the weight of the participant. The emerging field of fat studies suggests that fatness has negative social implications within American society which transcend racial, gender, and class categories; however, weight has not been explored as a status characteristic in the sociological social psychological literature. An examination of weight as a diffuse status characteristic will expand the sociological social psychological literature, specifically expectation states and status characteristic theories, as well as the emerging field of fat studies. Greater theoretical understanding will enhance research on weight-based discrimination and group interactions. As reliance on groups grows, increased understanding of characteristics which influence group interactions is necessary. Results from the proposed study may lead to the creation and implementation of social interventions to reduce weight-based discrimination within diverse groups.