TY - JOUR
T1 - Abortion attitudes in context
T2 - A multidimensional vignette approach
AU - Hans, Jason D.
AU - Kimberly, Claire
PY - 2014/11
Y1 - 2014/11
N2 - The effects of relationship status, rationale for considering abortion (life circumstance versus health issue), and the male partner's wishes on abortion attitudes were examined using a multiple-segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 532 Kentucky households. Respondents expressed strong opinions in the absence of contextual details, yet many shifted the direction of their strongly-held positions once contextual information was revealed that challenged their initial assumptions. Results confirm and extend prior research by indicating that attitudes are strongly held but are simultaneously highly responsive to context. The validity of surveys and polls that attempt to measure global attitudes toward abortion, such as pro-choice versus pro-life, in the absence of contextual details is therefore questioned. The full context of one's life and situation is weighed in the abortion decision-making process, and our findings indicate that attitudes toward abortion are largely responsive and reflective of that context as well.
AB - The effects of relationship status, rationale for considering abortion (life circumstance versus health issue), and the male partner's wishes on abortion attitudes were examined using a multiple-segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 532 Kentucky households. Respondents expressed strong opinions in the absence of contextual details, yet many shifted the direction of their strongly-held positions once contextual information was revealed that challenged their initial assumptions. Results confirm and extend prior research by indicating that attitudes are strongly held but are simultaneously highly responsive to context. The validity of surveys and polls that attempt to measure global attitudes toward abortion, such as pro-choice versus pro-life, in the absence of contextual details is therefore questioned. The full context of one's life and situation is weighed in the abortion decision-making process, and our findings indicate that attitudes toward abortion are largely responsive and reflective of that context as well.
KW - Abortion
KW - Attitudes
KW - Multiple-segment factorial vignette
KW - Survey methodology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904265656&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84904265656&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2014.06.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2014.06.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 25131281
AN - SCOPUS:84904265656
SN - 0049-089X
VL - 48
SP - 145
EP - 156
JO - Social Science Research
JF - Social Science Research
ER -