Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Katherine Karraker.
Abstract
The aim was to examine how adolescent and/or unmarried mothers and their infants are perceived. Negative appraisals by others of adolescent and/or unmarried mothers and their infants may contribute to the difficulties they encounter. Psychology students viewed videotapes of adult mothers labeled as adolescent or adult and as unmarried or married interacting with their infants. Participants were asked to rate the infants, the mothers and their interactions. Results show that there were cases in which those labeled adolescent and unmarried were seen less positively than those labeled adult and married. There were also instances of counterintuitive findings of lower ratings for those labeled adult and married instead of adolescent and unmarried. This study provides evidence that perceptions and stereotypes can result in negative appraisals of adolescent or unmarried mothers and their infants, but also that there are situations where these mothers and their infants can exceed the expectations of others.
Recommended Citation
Elliott, Nichole L., "Perceptions of mothers labeled adolescent or adult and their infants" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2174.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2174