| Summary: | 碩士 === 慈濟大學 === 人類發展與心理學系碩士班 === 106 === Free association was first used to explore the human mind, it’s also a tool to understand cognitive schema of human beings. Research has proven that：human beings exhibit “habitual associations”；habitual associations can increase the efficiency of problem solving；it also implied that it is possible for repeat sex offenders and substance abusers to have their own unique way of “habitual associations”.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive association of two types of abusers (the experiment groups were 32 sexual offenders and 36 substance abusers), after they saw and heard simultaneously about 10 stimuli words, and then compare same pattern of cognitive association of control group (25 of high school students). The procedure of this research was to present 10 stimuli words to each group, giving one minute for association, and then list their associated words；and then label every associated words with their reactions of either “positive” “negative” or “neutral” .The experiment groups research was held at Hualien Prison；and control group work was held at high school in Hualien. Finally, research data was analyzed by t-test and ANOVA.
The results are as follows：(1) all subjects do exhibit “habitual associations”. (2) when analyzing the total amounts of word associations, the control group had more responses then experiment groups. (3) in general, "the numbers of habitual associations" on the stimulus words of sex offenders are less than substance abuser group and control group. (4) two types of offenders response reflected different psychological characteristics：the sex offender group is more defensive and denial than the substance abuser group.
Key words：free association, word association test, habitual associations, sex offender, substance abuser
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