Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Graham, Steven

Keywords

Curiosity, Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

This thesis attempts to demonstrate that an increase in state self-esteem or state self-compassion will result in an increase in state curiosity. Forty-nine participants were split into three groups, one in which only self-esteem was raised, one in which only self-compassion was raised, and a control group. After the manipulations, all participants completed the State-Trait Personality Inventory, the Heatherton & Polivy State Self-esteem Scale, the Self-compassion Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. After this, participants were presented with an optional reading task that functioned as a measure of behavioral curiosity. The mean scores for self-esteem, self-compassion, and curiosity between conditions were compared. There was no significant difference between conditions for mean self-esteem, self-compassion, or curiosity, indicating that the manipulations did not function, and curiosity was not induced. Future research is needed in order to determine how curiosity relates to self-esteem and self-compassion, as well as how curiosity functions in human behavior.

Download

Share

COinS