d the Simpson trial, the question can be asked as to whether there is some systematic contribution personality variables might make to the formation and maintenance of these opinions?
The foregoing question is not arbitrary in that there is ample evidence that personality variables can influence both attitudes and attitude formation. For example, Gilbertson (1992) found that in her study of attitudes toward victims of rape, sex-role identity was a factor that influenced attitude. Similarly, Carsman (1973) found that dogmatism was related to teachers' attitudes toward conventional and unconventional media use in the classroom. Locus of control is another personality variable that has been found to be related to peoples' attitudes ( ).
Given the foregoing, it seems reasonable to speculate as to whether dogmatic thought, sex-role identity, and locus of control might be related to peoples' attitudes toward the media coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. Examination for this relationship constitutes this study's research problem.
Specifically, the study will determine the extent to which the personality factors of locus of control, dogmatic thought, and sex-role identity influence the attitudes of a large sample of both graduate and undergraduate college students regarding the media coverage of the trial of O.J. Simpson. The specific attitudes that will be examined are: (1) whether media coverage is generally positive or negative; (2) whether media coverage has a strong impact on people's views of O.J.'s guilt or innocence; and (3) whether media coverage is biased (tries to push a particular perspective--guilt or innocence) or is balanced. These specific attitudes are selected for examination because, as will be shown in the review of literature presented in the next section of the chapter, research on dogmatism, locus of control, and sex-role identity has implications for these particular attitudes.
To provide context...