Short Stature in Caucasian Males: Personality Correlates and Social Attribution
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University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI Open Access Dissertations 1985 Short Stature in Caucasian Males: Personality Correlates and Social Attribution Leslie F. Martel University of Rhode Island Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss Recommended Citation Martel, Leslie F., "Short Stature in Caucasian Males: Personality Correlates and Social Attribution" (1985). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 985. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/985 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SHORTSTATURE IN CAUCASIANMALES: PERSONALITYCORRELATES AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTION BY LESLIE F. MARTEL A DISSERTATIONSUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENTOF THE REQUIREMENTSFOR THE DEGREEOF DOCTOROF PHILOSOPY IN PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITYOF RHODEISLAND 1985 ABSTRACT Given the advent of genetically engineered hwnan growth hormone, there is a pressing need to better understand the personality corre lates and impact of short stature in males. One hundred-twenty college age Caucasian males of short, average and tall stature were administered measures of self-concept, body-cathexis, psychological security, and a semantic-differential measure. In addition, a questionnaire regarding the importance of height in daily life was also included. The broadly-based literature ~eview strongly suggests that short stature in males is a distinct developmental and social liability. The results of the present study supported the first prediction that short subjects would feel significantly less positive about their bodies than their taller peers. The average-height and tall subjects did not differ significantly from each other regarding their overall feelings about their bodies. The second prediction that short males would demonstrate a less favorable self-concept was substantially supported. The third prediction that short males would demonstrate greater psychological insecurity was not supported. The fourth prediction that short subjects would report more pro nounced feelings regarding the impact of height in their daily lives was substantially supported. The fifth prediction that the sample as a whole would attribute negatively valenced and less socially valued personality traits to men of sh-0rt height was strongly supported. Implications of these findings are discussed. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, While there have been many people who have meaningfully contributed to both my professional and personal development throughout my doctoral studies, there are several people to whom I would like to express a special thanks .. I would like to thank Dr. Henry Biller, my major professor, whose un dying enthusiasm for and support of my work at pivotal times helped make the completion of the doctoral program a reality. Sincere gratitude goes to Dr. Peter Merenda, whose uncompromisingly high standards and dedication t o the field of Psychology have served both to inspire and to guide me. A very special thanks to my wife, Abby, whose faith in my abilities, encouragement of my work, and consistent support 1made graduation within thi .s: century possible. Appreciation goes . to Dr. Michael Nover, whose loyal friendship, keen intellect, and selfles .s. willingness to help at criti .cal times will always be remembered. I. would also like to express my appreciation to all of the people who have, in one way or another, improved the quality of my life over the past seven years :. Particular thanks goes to Bernie and Midge Unger and Wally · and Ruth Bush, who graciously opened their homes to me. Finally, I. would like _to thank Yale University for the use of its ex cellent research . and library facilities, in which this diss .ertation was written. -iii- IN "MEMORIAM Thi.s dissertation is . dedicated to the memory of my Father-in-Law, William T. Adis :, whose struggle against cancer will always s.erve as . my example of strength and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. • -iv- CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii IN MEMORIAM. CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .. vii LIST OF FIGURES • ·. • • X LIST OF APPENDICES . xi Chapter INTRODUCTIONAND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 1 Historical Perspective •...•. 1 The Current Status of the Research. 2 Importance of Physical Appearances 4 The Relationship Between Physical Appearance and Personality ...••..... 12 The Developmental Impact of Short Stature in Males 25 The Social Context . • . 41 Short Stature In Males and Discrimination 55 Summary 57 II. HYPOTHESISAND PREDICTIONS 61 III. METHOD 63 Procedure 63 Subjects . 66 Demographic Data for Short, Average and Tall Subject Groups . 67 Significant differences in demographic data among the three schools 75 IV. MEASURES 85 v. RESULTS . 99 Questionnaire 99 -v- Body Cathexis Scale (BC) and Security-Insecur.ity Inventory (SI).............. .... 115 The Security-Insecurity Inventory (SI) ..•...... 117 Semantic Differential Measure ........•. 118 Interaction Effects for the Semantic Differential Data . 123 The Activity Vector Analysis (AVA) . 139 Discussion ............ 148 REFERENCES ······ · ···· · ···· ··· •00000000 242.;,._ REFERENCESFOR APPENDIXK • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 232 -vi- LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Significant Differences in Demographic Data comparing Short, Average and Tall Subject Groups: The Means and Standard Deviations . 71 2 . Anova for Age 72 3. Anova for Height. 72 4. Anova for Weight. 72 5. Anova for Family Income . 73 6. Anova for Grade-Point Average 73 7. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Age . 73 8. Tµkey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Height 74 9. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Weight . 74 - 10. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Family Income 74 11. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Grade-Point Average 75 12 . Significant Differences in Demographics Among the Different Schools . 78 13. Anova for Age 79 14. Anova for Height . 79 15. Anova for Weight 79 16. Anova for Family Income 80 17 . Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Age 80 18. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Height 80 19. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Weight 81 20. Tukey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Family Income 81 -vii- 21. Tuk_ey-HSD Multiple Range Test for Grade Point Average 81 22. T-TEST RESULTSBETWEEN THE TWOSHORT SUBJECT GROUPS 84 23. ANOVAfor Semantic Differential Data between the two Short Subject Groups . .. 84 24. Test-Retest Reliability for Questionnaire 93 25. Internal Consistency of the Semantic - Differential Measures Used in This Study . 97 26. Test Retest Reliability Coefficients for Individual Items on the Semantic Differential . .. 98 27. The Actual and Ideal Desired Height for Male Subjects 102 28. Means and Standard Deviations (Questions 1-11) for Short, Average, and Tall Questionnaire Responses . 105 29. Means and Standard Deviations (Questions 12-17) for Short, Average, and Tall Questionnaire Responses . 108 30. ANOVATests for the Questionnaire Data . 111 31. Tukey (HSD) Follow-up Tests for Questionnaire Data . 113 32. ANOVAfor Body Cathexis Scale 115 33. Tukey (HSD) Multiple Range Test for Body Cathexis Scale 116 34. Means and Standard Deviations for the Body Cathexis Scale 117 35. ANOVAfor Maslow Insecurity Inventory 118 36. Means and Standard Deviations for Maslow Insecurity Inventory 118 37. Semantic Differential 3X3 MANOVADesign 119 38. Semantic Differential Within Group Main Effects 120 39. ANOVAfor Averaged Rating Scales: Semantic Differential 123 40. Simple Effect ANOVAfor Semantic Differential Interaction Effects . 124 11 11 41. All Subjects Rating Men of Short Height : Semantic Differential Averaged Scales. Tukey (HSD) Follow-up Test 124 11 11 42. All Subjects Rating Men of Tall Height : Semantic Differential Averaged Scales. Tukey (HSD) Follow-up Test 128 -viii- 43. Mean Factor Scores for Main Effects on the Semantic Differential Data . 130 44. ANOVAfor Main Effects for Rated Height: Evaluation Factor . 130 45. Tukey (HSD) Test: Evaluation Factor . 131 46. ANOVAfor Main Effects for Rated Height: Potency Factor 131 47. Tukey (HSD) Test: Potency Factor . 132 48. ANOVAfor Main Effects for Rated Height: Activity Factor 132 49. Tukey (HSD) Test: Activity Factor . 133 so. ANOVAof Interaction Effects for Semantic Differential Factor Scores 133 51. Tukey HSD Test: Short Subjects Rate Height Grouping on Potency Factor . 134 52. Tukey HSD Test Average Subjects Rate Height Groupings on Potency Factor . 135 53. Tukey HSD Test: Tall Subjects Rate Height Grouping on Potency Factor . 136 54. Tukey HSD Test: Results of Average Height Subjects on the Evaluation Factor . 136 55. Tukey HSD Test: Results of Tall Height Subjects on Evaluation Factor . 137 56. Correlations of Ideal Self-concept With the Present Study 151 57. ANOVAfor AVAData: Activity-Role 154 58. ANOVAfor AVAData: Activity Self 155 59. Group Means and Standard Deviations for AVAData 156 60. ANOVAfor AVAData: Congruence . 157 • -ix- ' LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. The Actual and Ideal Height for Males of Short, Average and Tall Height • . • . 103 2. Semantic Differential: Within Group Main Effects. Ratings of Men of Short, Average, and Tall Height ....•. 122 3. Semantic Differential: Men of Short Height . 126 4. Semantic Differential Height Rated ..... 127 5. Semantic Differential: Men of Tall Height 129 6. Simple Effects Tests for Factor Scores of Semantic Differential Measure ....•.. 138 7. AVA Self-Concept and Social Self-Concept for Average Height Subjects . • . 145 8. AVA Self-Concept