University of Twente Student Theses
To what Extent does Maturity of Psychological Defence Mechanisms moderate the Relationship between Negative News Exposure and Prosocial Behaviour as mediated by Negative World Views?
Süper, Hannes (2022) To what Extent does Maturity of Psychological Defence Mechanisms moderate the Relationship between Negative News Exposure and Prosocial Behaviour as mediated by Negative World Views?
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| Abstract: | A rapidly growing body of research has demonstrated that watching the news may lead to a decrease in helping behaviour. This is because increasing displays of human suffering have made news consumption a psychologically risky undertaking. Fear-driven news content runs danger of shattering recipients’ basic assumptions about a just, benevolent world and themselves as morally decent people. Therefore, individuals may have to protect their self-image from unwanted emotions such as guilt or shame by making use of psychological defence mechanisms. Mature overall defensive functioning (ODF) was hypothesized to attenuate the detrimental impact of negative news and negative world views on prosocial behaviour. This mechanism was tested in a correlational study using a moderated mediation model. 88 participants took part in the study (52.3% female, 76.1% German, mean age = 28.3 years, SD = 13.0) in which they indicated their news media consumption and completed the World Assumptions Scale (WAS), Defence Mechanisms Rating Scale – Self Report – 30 (DMRS-SR-30), and the Prosociality Scale (PS). Inferential statistics revealed no significant correlations which is why no support for the hypothesized effect mechanism was found. Possible limitations may have been the complex correlational design, as well as measurement choices regarding the WAS and the DMRS-SR-30. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/91240 |
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