Attitudes Toward Peace: The Role of Personality Traits, Perspective Taking and Gender

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between university students' attitudes toward peace, and their level of perspective taking, gender, and personality traits. It also aimed to determine to what extent these variables predict attitudes toward peace. The research was conducted in predictive correlational research model from quantitative methods. 326 university students participated in the study and data was collected in December 2018. Instruments included Demographical Information Form, Big Five Personality Test, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Attitudes Toward War and Peace Scale. Results showed that peace attitudes were positively correlated with perspective taking. Attitudes toward peace have differentiated significantly in terms of gender resulting in females having more positive attitudes than males. In addition, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness were significantly and positively found to correlate with attitudes toward peace. Future studies should consider examining peace attitudes based on ethnic groups in conflict and non-conflict settings. Promoting perspective taking strategies also seems to be a promising direction for peace psychology research.

Keywords

• attitudes toward peace
• perspective taking
• gender
• big five
• personality traits

Barışa Yönelik Tutumlar: Kişilik Özelliklerinin, Perspektif Almanın ve Cinsiyetin Rolü

Abstract

Bu çalışma üniversite öğrencilerinin barışa yönelik tutumları ile cinsiyetleri, kişilik özellikleri ve bakış açısı alma düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi ve bu değişkenlerin barışa yönelik tutumları ne düzeyde yordadığını araştırmaktadır. Araştırma, nicel yöntemlerden biri olan yordayıcı ilişkisel araştırma modelinde yürütülmüştür. Araştırmaya 326 üniversite öğrencisi katılmış ve veriler Aralık 2018’de toplanmıştır. Ölçme araçları Demografik Bilgi Formu, Beş Faktör Kişilik Testi, Kişilerarası Reaktivite Indeksi ve Savaş ve Barışa Yönelik Tutumlar Ölçeğinden oluşmaktadır. Sonuçlar, barışa yönelik tutumların bakış açısı alma düzeyi ile pozitif yönde ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Barışa yönelik tutumların cinsiyete göre anlamlı şekilde farklılaştığı, kadınların barışa yönelik tutumlarının erkeklerden daha olumlu olduğu saptanmıştır. Ek olarak, yumuşak başlılık, deneyime açıklık ve özdenetim ile barışa yönelik tutumlar arasında anlamlı bir ilişkili olduğu görülmüştür. Gelecekteki çalışmalar, çatışma ortamlarında ve çatışma dışı ortamlarda etnik gruplara dayalı barış tutumlarını incelemeyi göz önünde bulundurmalıdır. Bakış açısı alma stratejilerini desteklemek, barış psikolojisi araştırmaları için umut verici bir alan olarak gözükmektedir.

Keywords

• barışa yönelik tutumlar
• bakış açısı alma
• kişilik özellikleri
• beş faktör
• cinsiyet

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