Conference Proceedings

2008 Scottish Undergraduate Conference

Conference Venue: University of Abertay, Dundee
Scottish Branch

From: 12 Mar 2008
To: 12 Mar 2008

 
Individual Paper(s)

Is compliance predictable? Compliance and its relationship with antisocial behaviour and self-esteem.

Anna Bohnacker
Glasgow Caledonian University


Purpose. This study aims to clarify whether self-esteem, impulsiveness, venturesomeness and empathy are predictors of compliance. Furthermore, it evaluates whether an interaction between self-esteem and the three variables impulsiveness, venturesomeness and empathy contributes to the understanding of compliance.

Methods. The study is based on questionnaires to measure compliance (Gudjonsson Compliance Scale), impulsiveness, venturesomeness, empathy (Adult Impulsivity Venturesomeness Questionnaire) and self-esteem (Battle Self-Esteem Inventory). The questionnaires have been handed out at random to 38 female and 37 male visitors (18 to 53 years) throughout Glasgow Science Centre.

Results. Multiple regression revealed a main effect of both self-esteem and empathy on compliance. However, no interaction was found between these two significant predictors of compliance.  

Conclusions. With reference to previous findings on interviewer behaviour more research is needed in order to investigate the relationship between empathetic individuals with low self-esteem and interviewer behaviour.