Irrational thinking and prejudice : an atheist anomaly? correlates and predictors of prejudice toward atheists among college students

Abstract

The number self-identified non-theists is on the rise in the United States. With a recent influx of religious skepticism in various forms of media, the existence of this ideological minority is becoming more salient. This growing population remains understudied in the social sciences. The present survey research attempts to improve this deficit by examining prejudice toward atheists among college students and exploring possible correlates and predictors, including irrational beliefs, self-esteem, and religiosity. More than 80% of respondents exhibited some form of bias against atheists, with religiosity emerging as a viable predictor. This study found a significant correlation between prejudice scores and irrational beliefs. This significance does not hold true, however, for all demographic groups.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2007

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Brophy-Ellison, James

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Degree Program

Psychology

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences;Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0022183

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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