Date of Award

5-2025

Degree Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

English

Committee Chair(s)

Beth Buyserie (Committee Chair)

Committee

Beth Buyserie

Committee

Jessica Rivera-Mueller

Committee

Melissa Tehee

Abstract

In this thesis, I merged personal narrative and interdisciplinary knowledge to develop a composition pedagogy framework for my fellow college composition instructors by applying an understanding of the psychological theory of attachment styles to our understanding of diversity and behavior in the classroom. I presented a personal narrative describing how I discovered a connection between attachment theory, behavior psychology, and college composition classrooms. The framework developed guides instructors step-by-step how to apply interdisciplinary psychology knowledge to the field of composition. The goal is for the theory to create more accepting and encouraging classroom environments through DOVE. D: detaching from negative assumptions about ourselves and others, O: opening our minds to seeing the classroom in new ways, V: visualizing and choosing our values for the field, and E: expecting the unexpected.

As writing instructors, we teach students how to communicate with the world around them. We evaluate and instruct humans with how to reach out to each other. The theory of attachment draws on that science of connection to explain potential behavioral differences in these classrooms and encourage more understanding of psychology and mental health diversity, alongside physical diversity in our classrooms.

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