Beyond Pro-Life and Pro-Choice:
A Social Constructionist Approach to
Abortion Attitudes at Saint Mary’s College
By Laura Frechette
OVERVIEW

Introduction
 Literature Review
 Theory and Purpose
 Thesis
 Methods
 Findings
 Discussion
INTRODUCTION
Saint Mary’s College is a
all women’s, Catholic
liberal arts institution
 Approximately 1500
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territories and 12 foreign
countries. Multicultural
and international students
represent 9% of the student
body

INTRODUCTION

Pro-Life:
–

A political and ethical view which maintains
that all human beings have the right to life,
and including fetuses and embryos. Abortion
infringes on a fetus’ or embryo’s human
right to life.
Pro-Choice:
–
It is a pregnant woman’s human right to
control the fertility of her own body by
choosing whether to become pregnant or to
carry a pregnancy to term.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Abortion Attitudes





 Affects of Religion
National
– Catholics for a Free Choice:
– Scott and Schuman: 1988
2003
– Blake and Del Pinal: 1981
 College Attitudes
International
– Bryan and Freed: 1992
– Catholics for a Free Choice: 2003
– Yeager: 2005
Affects of Gender
– Roman and Lester: 1999
– Phifer and Lester: 2000
Affects of Age
– Boggess and Bradner: 2000
Affects of Race
– Boggess and Bradner: 2000
– Ellison, Erevarria, and Smith:
2005
PURPOSE and THESIS

This study aims at exploring the gap in a
attitudinal abortion research from a
sociological standpoint. It also will analyze
the how the issue of abortion is socially
constructed within the unique, all women’s
environment present at Saint Mary’s College.

In order to better understand how attitudes of
a social problem are constructed, my senior
comprehension will investigate how social
construction theory can be applied to a social
problem, such as the controversy surrounding
abortion.
THEORY
Social Construction
Theory
 Donileen Loseke:
2003

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METHODS

A random sample of First-Years and
Seniors that the interviewer did not know
was created using the on-line directory
and a random number program on a TI83 Calculator.
 Chosen students were e-mailed and
interviews were arranged.
METHODS

Pros
–

Random sample
Cons
–
The students eligible for interviews in the
senior class was affected by the interviewer
being a senior.
– Non-response
METHODS

Interviews ranged between four to twenty
minutes, with the average time was
approximately ten minutes
 Interviews consisted of 14 open ended
questions.
 13 Interviews were conducted, 7 Seniors
and 6 First-years
Table 1: Demographics o f Sample
Respondent
Number
1
Class
Age
Senior
21
Geograp hical Race
Location
IN
White
2
Senior
21
IN
White
3
FirstYear
Senior
18
MI
White
21
PA
White
FirstYear
Senior
FirstYear
18
IL
White
21
18
MI
AZ
18
MI
9
FirstYear
Senior
22
IN
10
Senior
21
MI
11
12
Senior
FirstYear
FirstYear
21
18
IN
IN
18
MI
4
5
6
7
8
13
Reli gion
United
Methodist
Roman
Catholi c
Roman
Catholi c
Roman
Catholi c
Roman
Catholi c
White
Episcopali an
White
Non-Practicing
Roman
Catholi c
White
Roman
Catholi c
White
Roman
Catholi c
White
Roman
Catholi c
White
No
Hispanic Roman
Catholi c
White
Roman
Catholi c
Poli tical
Affili ation
Republi can
No
Republi can
Moderate
No
No
No
No
Democrat
No
Republi can
Democrat
No
FINDINGS:
Introduction to Abortion

84.6% (11/13) of respondents were first
exposed to abortion in a class room
setting, usually in a religious context.
“They [the religion teachers] taught us their
side about it and the bad things about it
you know how it is killing a life, it is
kinda sad.”
FINDINGS:
Formulating Attitudes

84.6% (11/13) of respondents attributed their
family as a major contribution to their views of
abortion.
 38.5% (5/13) of specifically stated that their
mother taught them the most about abortion
“My mom taught me the most about abortion. She
said it should be your decision, but we really
don’t believe in it because of our religion.”
FINDINGS:
Formulating Attitudes

69%(9/13) of respondents and their
families were Roman Catholic
“ I believe the Catholic faith is definitely
against it, and after having conversations
with family, I know its definitely
something my family is personally
against.”
FINDINGS:
Consequence of Personal Experience on
Family’s Attitudes

15.3% (2/13) of respondents with
Personal Experience in their families
“I’m not pro-choice or pro-life, I’m in
between. I’m not for killing babies, but I
do believe that women have the right to
choose…having a family member go
through it definitely makes you decide
how you really feel”
FINDINGS:
Consequence of Personal Experience on
Family’s Attitudes
One respondents family member was a
victim of rape, but instead of having an
abortion, she delivered the baby and gave
it up for adoption.
“Giving birth to her child was the best way
to get rid of the feelings from her rape.
She felt that the birth healed her from the
rape.”
FINDINGS:
Changing Attitudes
100% of Senior’s views had changed during their
lifetime.
 71.4% attributed the change to Saint Mary’s
College.
 Out of these women, 28.6% specifically mentioned
women studies classes they had taken.

“I have always been going back in forth, struggling
with the Catholic views concerning abortion, but I
also took a women’s studies class here, and seeing
that, that side of it, it made me think about the
other point of view.”
FINDINGS:
Changing Attitudes



66.7% (4/6) of First-Years’ views had changed during their
lifetime.
33.4% (2/6) attributed the change to education on the
subject.
16.7% (1/6) said that Saint Mary’s changed her views
during her 3 months she has attended Saint Mary’s College
“I use to be totally against it. But probably a month ago all the
sudden, I mean I don’t think its right, but at the same time,
it’s a women’s body and its just, during the 1st month or so, I
mean it’s still bad to me and I would never do it, but I am
not as judgmental towards people that do because obviously
they have their reasons.”
FINDINGS:
Respondents’ Current Attitudes Towards
Abortion

42.9 % (3/7) Seniors and 33.3% (2/6) First-Years described
themselves as “Pro-Life.” However, 28.6% (2/7) Seniors
and 16.7% (1/6) First-Years said “Pro-Life” but continued
with “except in the case of rape or incest.”
 33.3%(2/6) of First-Years described that they believed
abortion was killing an innocent life.
 0% of respondents identified themselves as “Pro-Choice.”
 28.6% (2/7) Seniors and 16.7% (1/6) First-Years believed in
“the women’s right to choose.”
 28.6% (2/7) Seniors and 16.7% (1/6) First-Years expressed
that though they would not have one themselves, they
disagree that it should be illegalized.
FINDINGS:
Respondents’ Current Attitudes Towards
Abortion
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“I’m not pro-life or pro-choice.
I’m between.”
DISCUSSION

Social Construction: Major Factors
–
Family
– Religion
– Personal Experience

Education, Particularly College
–

Allows Individual to Formulate Individual
Attitudes
New Environment
–
New Attitudes, and Claims
FURTHER RESEARCH
 Interview
women had an unplanned
pregnancy to target their deciding
factors
 Interview Pro-Life and Pro-Choice
advocates and code their claims
 Content analysis of Propaganda of
Claims-Makers
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