Institutionalization and self-concepts of deviants and non-deviants : a comparative study

Hayes, Vivienne Mary (1969) Institutionalization and self-concepts of deviants and non-deviants : a comparative study. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The present exploratory investigation, a comparative one, was conducted within the city of St. John's, Newfoundland. It involves determining the effect of institutionalization upon the self-concepts of individuals and employs as a testing instrument The Twenty Statements Test designed by Manford Kuhn and his students. The theoretical framework on which the study lies is based mainly on Erving Goffman's stripping process as described in his book, Asylums, together with portions of theory from such theorists as G. H. Mead, C. H. Cooley, John Kinch, and Manford Kuhn. -- Two groups of deviant subjects, institutionalized (prisoners and mental patients) and noninstitutionalized (religious fundamentalists), were compared, and a group of institutionalized nondeviants (hospital patients) was compared with a group of noninstitutionalized nondeviant subjects (university students) to determine the differences in self-concept. The overall differences for institutionalized and noninstitutionalized subjects were then determined, the factor accounting for the differences being institutionalization. -- Three hypotheses were formulated and verified. No statistical analysis was employed because the exploratory nature of the study did not require it. Instead, findings were compiled in numbers and percentages. Coding was carried out in accordance with the method used by Kent Schvirian with slight modification. In order to increase reliability, two coders other than the researcher assisted in the coding procedures. -- Analysis of the data revealed: -- (1) Institutionalized deviants made more references to the institution than did noninstitutionalized deviants. -- (2) Institutionalized nondeviants made more self-identifications with the institution than did non-institutionalized nondeviants (to an even larger extent than did the institutionalized deviants). -- (3) Self-concepts of institutionalized subjects are less favorable than those of noninstitutionalized subjects. -- (4) Institutionalized subjects make statements which depict the self as a physical entity which requires at best only indirect relationships to others to a larger extent than do noninstitutionalized subjects. -- (5) Institutionalized deviants have unfavorable attitude toward the institution than do institutionalized nondeviants. -- (6) Consensual statements are not always most salient for the individual. -- Chapter I presents the theoretical background on which the study rests. -- Chapter II presents the methodology employed. -- Chapter III presents the analysis and findings. -- Chapter IV relates findings to theory, gives further analysis together with a recapitulation and suggestions for further research.

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