Understanding College Student Bystander Attitudes by Examining Variation across Common Personality Traits

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

In an effort to understand sexual violence on campus and focus local prevention efforts, this study examines how undergraduate students’ bystander attitudes vary by common personality traits and other demographic factors. The Bystander Attitudes Scale, Revised (BAS-R; McHahon, et al., 2014) was used to measure students’ current beliefs, attitudes and likelihood of engaging in prosocial bystander behaviors such as by providing help to stop a rape or challenging normative behavior that promote rape. The Big Five Inventory (BFI; Rammstedt & John, 2007) measures common dimensions of personality traits (Goldberg, 1993) such as extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness. Demographic factors include sex, gender, age, sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Data were collected from an electronic survey delivered via the Plymouth State University undergraduate email listserv.

Authors

• Stephanie Halter, Plymouth State University

• Laura Dykstra, Plymouth State University

• Jenna Sirios, Plymouth State University

• Johnathin Bailey, Plymouth State University

• Victoria Piacentini, Plymouth State University