Date of Award

12-1-1990

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Joseph C. LaVoie

Second Advisor

Dr. William Callahan

Third Advisor

Dr. Gregory Simpson

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Richard Wikoff

Abstract

This study was concerned with the investigation of gender and psychological types (Extravert-Introvert, Sensation-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging- Perceiving) in the application of trust of friendships of children and adolescents in reference to their 'best' and another one friend. The psychological types were determined by the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children (grades 4, 6, and 8) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator form G (grade 10). The two measures of trust were a modified version of Sharabany Intimacy Scale (Sharabany, 1974), which consisted of a questionnaire of descriptive sentences about friendship, and a measure based on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, consisting of four scenarios which described conflict situations involving interpersonal issues regarding trust. The subjects responded to the questions in reference to their 'best' and an 'other' friend, who was rank-ordered sixth on their list of friends. The analysis for sex differences showed that males and females gave higher trust ratings for 'best' friend than for 'other' friend. Females had higher trust scores than males when 'best friend and 'other' friend were involved, but males made a more trusting choice in conflict situations concerning 'other' friend. Across the four psychological types examined, Extravert-Introvert, Sensation-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging-Perceiving, higher trust ratings and more trusting choices in conflict situations were made for 'best' friend compared to 'other' friend. Furthermore, there was a difference in scenario order for all four psychological types for trusting choices in a conflict involving a 'best' friend. The order from highest to lowest mean was: 3-Secret, 4-Backstab, 1-Principal, and 2-Homework. The ordering from highest to lowest mean for an 'other' friend was: 3-Secret, 2-Homework, 1-Principal, and 4-Backstab.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright M. Susan Flanagan Snyder December, 1990.

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