Year
2025
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)
Department
Psychological and Brain Sciences
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Paul Fuglestad
Second Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Brown
Abstract
Given the negative stereotypes surrounding individuals who are homeless (Weng & Clark, 2018), the current study investigated how personalization influences attitudes. Participants in Study 1 (N = 321, MAge = 20.5, 84% female, 61% White) were randomly assigned to a general or personalized vignette about a man experiencing homelessness. Participants rated their impressions towards the man (i.e., endorsement of social proximity and economic aid and perceptions of dangerousness and blameworthiness), personality traits, and general attitudes of homelessness. Independent samples t-tests indicate participants had more favorable views towards the man when exposed to personal information. Pearson correlations suggest impressions were more related to general attitudes towards the homeless than personality. Study 2 added images to the vignettes and examined potential mediators in predicting social proximity and economic aid. Using a 2x3 between subjects design, participants (N = 309, MAge = 25.97 years, 78.7% female, 65.2% White) were randomly assigned to either the personalized or generalized vignette about an individual experiencing homelessness. This was paired with an image of a man with a clean or unkempt appearance. The no picture conditions were used as controls. A 2x3 ANOVA revealed there were no interactions of the conditions, however the main effects of written and image conditions indicated more favorable views when exposed to personal information and with no image. Mediational analyses suggest dangerousness, blame, and situational empathy mediated the relationship between conditions and social proximity and economic aid. Our findings suggest stigma surrounding individuals experiencing homelessness can be reduced through personalization. Future research should further investigate how visual stimuli of individuals experiencing homelessness influences people’s perceptions of them.
Suggested Citation
Leon, Kalie, "The effects of personalization on homelessness stigma" (2025). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1320.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1320