Factor analysis of attitudes toward abortion.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Attitude Research

Background:

• Understanding public perception of controversial topics like abortion is crucial.
• Previous research indicates varying societal attitudes towards abortion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how individuals perceive the concept of abortion.
• To identify the underlying dimensions of these perceptions.
• To compare perceptions between males and females.

Main Methods:

• Utilized factor analysis on bipolar adjective ratings from 700 subjects.
• Applied polarity analysis to determine the valence of perceived attributes.

Main Results:

• Identified four orthogonal dimensions: immoral-repelling, cruel-destructive, emotional-serious, and rational-impulsive.
• Found similar factor structures between male and female participants.
• Abortion was predominantly rated as immoral, repelling, cruel, destructive, emotional, serious, rational, and impulsive.

Conclusions:

• The study's findings indicate a highly unfavorable perception of abortion.
• These perceptions, while negative, suggest a potential liberal shift in societal attitudes.
• The identified dimensions provide a framework for understanding complex attitudes towards abortion.