A Phenomenological Analysis of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors of Closed Faith Leah Zitter Walden University

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A Phenomenological Analysis of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors of Closed Faith Leah Zitter Walden University Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2018 A Phenomenological Analysis of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors of Closed Faith Leah Zitter Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Quantitative Psychology Commons, and the Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Leah Zitter has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Leann Stadtlander, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Susana Verdinelli, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Alethea Baker, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2018 Abstract A Phenomenological Analysis of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors of Closed Faith Groups by Leah Zitter MA, Bar Ilan, 2000 BS, SUNY, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2018 Abstract Prejudice research shows that most psychologists focus on moderate prejudice in superficial settings, rather than extreme prejudice in real-life situations. The present study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis guided by social constructivism on 21 biographies to investigate how the authors voluntarily disaffiliated from their groups and altered their prejudice. The narratives were retrieved from popular and academic book and journal memoirs, digital and print interviews and articles, podcasts and video clips of members of closed faith societies who were socialized to resent outsiders, with their resentments turning into violence. The analysis used Willig’s 4 stages: immersion in material, identifying core themes, summary of themes, and the amalgamation of the summary into themes. Results of this study indicate that there seems to be a turning point in which participants perceive the outside world in a different way. This change in perception may occur in members of closed groups through conducting critical analyses, reading source texts, and experiencing altruism from a member of the resented outside groups. Recommendations include that communication between outsiders and group members should reflect subtle, fact-based reasoning and manifest a customized approach to reducing prejudice. The study offers an original approach for understanding socialized violence. Governments and relevant entities could use this research to train invited outsiders of a cult or closed faith society regarding how to decrease the prejudice of closed group members. A Phenomenological Analysis of Changing Prejudice Among Defectors of Closed Faith Groups by Leah Zitter MA, Bar Ilan, 2000 BS, SUNY, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University June 2018 Acknowledgments This dissertation took 12 years. I want to thank the following people for helping me through the process: Cathy Campbell (Horowitz), Ellen Cohen, Alexander Ricke, Sheila Segall, Jan Weinstein, and David Zitter. I want to thank my kids, particularly Miriam, who read the transcripts for her pleasure, and Shimon, who provided cultural tips for communicating with several regressed terrorists. I’d like to thank the following Walden staff who worked to help me: Jackie R. Cook-Jones, Pamm A. Kemp, Lee Stadtlander, Susan Verdinelli, and Marilyn J. Powell. "I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks." - William Shakespeare Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................6 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................7 Research Questions ........................................................................................................7 Conceptual Approach.....................................................................................................7 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................................8 Operational Definitions ................................................................................................10 Assumptions .................................................................................................................11 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................11 Limitations ...................................................................................................................12 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................13 Summary ......................................................................................................................13 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................14 Introduction ..................................................................................................................14 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................14 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................15 Literature Review Related to Key Theories and Concepts ..........................................16 The Role of Cognition in Intra-Group Conflict, Bias, and Prejudice ..........................19 The Role of Affect in Intra-Group Conflict .................................................................20 Social Psychology and Prejudice .................................................................................22 Studies on Extreme Prejudice ......................................................................................23 i What Is Unknown about These Issues .........................................................................25 Summary and Conclusions ..........................................................................................28 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................29 Introduction ..................................................................................................................29 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................29 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................30 Methodology ................................................................................................................31 Sample and Sources of Data ........................................................................................33 Instrumentation ............................................................................................................34 Procedures for Recruitment, Participant and Data Collection .....................................34 Data Analysis Plan .......................................................................................................35 Issues of Trustworthiness .............................................................................................37 Ethical Procedures .......................................................................................................38 Summary ......................................................................................................................38 Chapter 4: Results ..............................................................................................................39 Positionality .................................................................................................................40 Summary of Participants ..............................................................................................41 Data Coding .................................................................................................................45 Emerging Themes ........................................................................................................47 Evidence of Trustworthiness........................................................................................48 The Themes ..................................................................................................................49 Summary ......................................................................................................................77 ii Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations ............................................78 Introduction ..................................................................................................................78
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