Abstract
SynopsisThe present study was designed to investigate reactions to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) sufferers, as a function of perceived causality. The study employed Weiner’s (1986) attributional model for negative events, and hypothesised a sequential ordering of cognitive (attribution) and affective (positive/negative attitudes) factors in influencing reactions to this target group. Two hundred and eighty six respondents (120 males, 166 females) from the Darwin metropolitan area completed questionnaires designed to elicit information relevant to the present study. Descriptive statistics indicated that (a) the respondents held AIDS sufferers as being both accountable and not accountable for their illness, (b) the sample was equally divided in terms of their attitudes toward this group, and (c) they were willing to interact with an AIDS-infected person at all levels of social intimacy. Path analysis supported the hypothesised sequential ordering of attributions and attitudes in influencing reac...
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