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COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD A POPULAR MEDIA CHARACTER WITH QUALITIES OF ASPERGER SYNDROME

Meeks, Lisa M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1398938713

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, College of Education and Human Services.
This study examines the potential mediating effects of prior knowledge regarding autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome (AS), first and second-generation family ties, college major, gender, and level of exposure to Dr. Sheldon Cooper, the main character of The Big Bang Theory, on college students perceptions of a popular television character who displays traits and characteristics of Asperger syndrome/autism spectrum disorder. Bandura's (1971a) Social Learning Theory and Social Cognitive Theory (2004b) provide the framework through which the researcher attempts to understand how popular media impacts college students perceptions of autism spectrum disorders. A total of 102 college students (aged 18-40 years) from multiple colleges across the United States completed two instruments that were modified for use in this study: The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ; Baron-Cohen, 2001), and the Shared Activities Questionnaire (SAQ; Morgan, Walker, Bieberich, & Bell, 1996). Participants also answered demographic questions relating to age, race, major, exposure to The Big Bang Theory, and a researcher-developed knowledge of autism questionnaire. Students overwhelmingly rated Sheldon Cooper as an individual with AS. Findings from the study indicate that gender, ethnicity, income level, and exposure to The Big Bang Theory were statistically significant predictors for students’ rating of Sheldon Cooper as an individual with AS. Being a math/science/engineering major or having a second degree relationship with a person on the spectrum did not significantly predict students ratings of Sheldon as an individual with AS, nor did these variables predict students desire to engage with Sheldon in an academic, social or recreational domain. The use of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory as an introduction to AS may be a valuable tool for working with the peers of students on the spectrum as findings suggest that repeated exposure to The Big Bang Theory reduces students clinicalization of Sheldon Cooper's behavior, perhaps through normalization of behaviors or exposure to prosocial modeling via behaviors of the supporting cast.
Jeremy Genovese (Committee Chair)
Hamlen Karla (Committee Member)
Galletta Anne (Committee Member)
Harper Brian (Committee Member)
Masterson Tracy (Committee Member)
121 p.
Behaviorial Sciences; Communication; Developmental Psychology; Educational Psychology; Higher Education
Asperger Syndrome; Sheldon Cooper; The Big Bang Theory; Social Learning Theory; Perceptions of ASD; Popular Television; Entertainment Education; ASD; Autism; College Students; Autism Quotient; Shared Activities Questionnaire; Prosocial Modeling; Media

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Meeks, L. M. (2014). COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD A POPULAR MEDIA CHARACTER WITH QUALITIES OF ASPERGER SYNDROME [Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1398938713

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Meeks, Lisa. COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD A POPULAR MEDIA CHARACTER WITH QUALITIES OF ASPERGER SYNDROME. 2014. Cleveland State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1398938713.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Meeks, Lisa. "COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD A POPULAR MEDIA CHARACTER WITH QUALITIES OF ASPERGER SYNDROME." Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1398938713

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1398938713
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© 2014, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD A POPULAR MEDIA CHARACTER WITH QUALITIES OF ASPERGER SYNDROME by Lisa M Meeks is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.