Texas A&M University
1.
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle.
A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.
Degree: MA, Communication, 2019, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184972 
The term American Exceptionalism is used to designate political myths purporting the qualitative distinction of the United States to other nations. I argue that American Exceptionalism should not be viewed as a single political myth but as a metamyth constituted by four logically independent myths of American Exceptionalism. These myths center around the notion that America has a unique spiritual condition; that America is uniquely developed, structured and/or capable; that America has a unique or superior moral quality; and that America ought to behave as a moral example to other nations. I refer to these as American Spiritual Exceptionalism, American Performative Exceptionalism, American Moral Exceptionalism, and American Moral Exemplarism respectively. I also posit that there is a non-mythical belief in the uniqueness or superiority in America’s performance or moral quality. I call this view American Existential Exceptionalism. To determine if there is evidence that these notions of American Exceptionalism are believed in isolation to each other I conducted a correlation test based on a 29-item survey questionnaire meant to gauge belief in these five notions. Further, I hypothesized that a four-factor model is a better fit for the notion of American Exceptionalism than a single-factor model. To test this, I conducted two Confirmatory Factor Analyses and compared their results. The results suggested that the four-factor model is a better fit than the one-factor model. However, the results also suggested that there is a better model than the four-factor model suggested by this paper.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goidel, Kirby (advisor), Dunaway, Johanna (committee member), Radzik, Linda (committee member).Subjects/Keywords: Political Myth; American Exceptionalism
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APA (6th Edition):
Ward, J. R. (2019). A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184972
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle. “A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.” 2019. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed March 05, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184972.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle. “A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.” 2019. Web. 05 Mar 2021.
Vancouver:
Ward JR. A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2019. [cited 2021 Mar 05].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184972.
Council of Science Editors:
Ward JR. A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2019. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184972
2.
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle.
A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.
Degree: MA, Communication, 2019, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184975
The term American Exceptionalism is used to designate political myths purporting the qualitative distinction of the United States to other nations. I argue that American Exceptionalism should not be viewed as a single political myth but as a metamyth constituted by four logically independent myths of American Exceptionalism. These myths center around the notion that America has a unique spiritual condition; that America is uniquely developed, structured and/or capable; that America has a unique or superior moral quality; and that America ought to behave as a moral example to other nations. I refer to these as American Spiritual Exceptionalism, American Performative Exceptionalism, American Moral Exceptionalism, and American Moral Exemplarism respectively. I also posit that there is a non-mythical belief in the uniqueness or superiority in America’s performance or moral quality. I call this view American Existential Exceptionalism. To determine if there is evidence that these notions of American Exceptionalism are believed in isolation to each other I conducted a correlation test based on a 29-item survey questionnaire meant to gauge belief in these five notions. Further, I hypothesized that a four-factor model is a better fit for the notion of American Exceptionalism than a single-factor model. To test this, I conducted two Confirmatory Factor Analyses and compared their results. The results suggested that the four-factor model is a better fit than the one-factor model. However, the results also suggested that there is a better model than the four-factor model suggested by this paper.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goidel, Kirby (advisor), Dunaway, Johanna (committee member), Radzik, Linda (committee member).Subjects/Keywords: Political Myth; American Exceptionalism
Record Details
Similar Records
Cite
Share »
Record Details
Similar Records
Cite
« Share
❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Ward, J. R. (2019). A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184975
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle. “A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.” 2019. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed March 05, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184975.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Ward, Jennifer Rachelle. “A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism.” 2019. Web. 05 Mar 2021.
Vancouver:
Ward JR. A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2019. [cited 2021 Mar 05].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184975.
Council of Science Editors:
Ward JR. A Quantitative Study of American Exceptionalism. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2019. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/184975
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