| Abstract: | Reports 3 studies which tested the hypothesis, derived from self-awareness theory, that behavior would be more consistent with personal attitudes or standards when attention was self-focused. In the 1st study, 52 male undergraduates' attitudes toward erotica were measured, and 1 mo later the Ss were asked to rate pictures of nude women, while either self-focused (in front of a mirror) or not. There was little relationship between pretested attitudes and reactions toward the pictures for the non-self-focused group; however, the same relationship was very strong for the group that rated pictures in front of a mirror. In the 2nd and 3rd studies, female Ss (51 and 48 undergraduates, respectively) were first pretested on the Mosher Sex-Guilt Scale. Two weeks later they read and rated pornographic passages, again, while either self-focused or not. The relationship between pretested standards (sex guilt) and reactions to sexual literature was weak in the non-self-aware condition, but considerably stronger for the self-focused Ss. Results suggest that focusing attention upon the self tends to inhibit behaviors that are inconsistent with personal attitudes or standards. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
