Self-esteem, political efficacy, and perceived parental attitudes

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1167589 (Table of Contents)

This thesis proposes to test the following three hypotheses: perceived political efficacy positively correlates with self-esteem; self-esteem positively correlates with perceived democratic parental attitude; and, lastly, self-esteem negatively correlates with perceived protective-demanding and perceived authoritarian parental attitudes. Two questionnaires (Q1 and Q2), each measure perceived political efficacy, selfesteem,and perceived parental attitudes. In Q2, the items of self-esteem and perceived parental attitude scales have been kept in their original forms whereas in Q1, the items of those scales have been modified to fit questionnaire design. Two groups each have been selected as a result of multi-stage stratified sampling of the Sabancı University undergraduate population. Participants (G1 and G2) are composed of those who have responded to the e-mail invitations sent to the two groups to complete the web-based questionnaires (Q1 or Q2). The results reveal that perceived political efficacy positively correlates with self-esteem for both G1 and G2. Concerning the relation of self-esteem to perceived parental attitudes, the findings show that perceived democratic parental attitudes positively correlate with self-esteem for both G1 and G2. Perceived protective-demanding mother’s attitude significantly and negatively correlates with self-esteem for only G2. Furthermore, perceived authoritarian mother’s and father’s attitudes also negatively and significantly correlate with self-esteem for only G2. The attempt to look for a connection between a certain political attitude and a personality quality, in addition to the connection between a personality quality and perceived parental attitudes, indicates a two-step approach to political socialization which combines personality approach to political behavior with the social-cognitive approach to personality.