The Impact of Higher Education on Egalitarian Attitudes and Values: Contextual and Cultural Determinants

In the present paper, we revisit the question of the impact of higher education on students' egalitarian attitudes and values. Research in this domain indicates that students tend to become more egalitarian and tolerant with higher education, but there are also differences depending on academic disciplines. Two main hypotheses aiming to explain why students' egalitarian attitudes differ as a function of academic disciplines are discussed: self-selection and socialization. Previous research yielding results in support of each of these hypotheses is reviewed. After pointing to some inconsistencies in the results, we consider recent research suggesting that cultural norms, namely, individualism and collectivism, may moderate the impact of higher education on attitudes. Individual factors, such as self-selection, seem to play a more prominent role than collective factors, such as socialization, in individualist cultures (e.g. North America, Australia), where most research has been conducted. In contrast, socialization appears to have a stronger impact than individual factors in collectivist cultures (e.g. Eastern Europe, Africa).     

Psychopathic traits in nursing and criminal justice majors: a pilot study

Prior findings suggest presence of psychopathic personality traits may be prevalent outside of the criminal sphere, such as in the business world. It is possible that particular work environments are attractive to individuals with higher psychopathic personality traits. To test this hypothesis, the current study investigated whether psychopathic personality scores could predict students' choices between two university majors, criminal justice or nursing (N= 174; 53 men, 121 women). Nursing education espouses nurturance and care, while criminal justice education teaches students informal and formal social control. Given these two educational mandates, it was predicted that students who scored higher on a scale of psychopathy would tend to enter criminal justice rather than nursing. Using logistic regression, results showed students with higher overall scores on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory, specifically higher scores on the subscale Machiavellian Egocentricity, were more likely to have chosen to major in criminal justice than nursing. Effects were generally weak but significant, accounting for between 5% to 25% of the variance in choice of major. Furthermore, this finding was not due to sex differences.     

What's in a grade? Academic success and political orientation

Expanding the literature on person-environment fit, the authors argue that political orientation is an important factor in shaping academic success in college. Based on social dominance theory, it was expected that academic disciplines that are more likely to provide students with future access to social and economic power tend to favor individuals who hold attitudes that strengthen the existing societal order. In a longitudinal sample of undergraduate students at a major American university (n=3,890), the authors demonstrated that student grades in these disciplines, but not in other disciplines, are positively related to a precollege measure of conservatism. This association between conservatism is consistent over time and subgroups, thus implicating higher education in the reproduction of social hierarchy. The discussion examines the causal processes underlying the relationship between political orientation and academic success in college.     

Sexual harassment under social identity threat: the computer harassment paradigm

Two laboratory experiments investigated the hypothesis that threat to male identity would increase the likelihood of gender harassment. In both experiments, using the computer harassment paradigm, male university students (N=80 in Experiment 1, N=90 in Experiment 2) were exposed to different types of identity threat (legitimacy threat and threat to group value in Experiment 1 and distinctiveness threat and prototypicality threat in Experiment 2) or to no threat and were then given the opportunity to send pornographic material to a virtual female interaction partner. Results show that (a) participants harassed the female interaction partner more when they were exposed to a legitimacy, distinctiveness, or prototypicality threat than to no threat; (b) this was mainly true for highly identified males; and (c) harassment enhanced postexperimental gender identification. Results are interpreted as supporting a social identity account of gender harassment.     

Development and psychometric properties of the perceptions of parenting inventory

In the present article, the author discusses the development and validation of a new instrument, the Perceptions of Parenting Inventory (POPI), designed to measure the multidimensional construct of perceptions of parenting. The psychometric properties and construct validity of the POPI, a self-administered questionnaire, were examined with two samples: young childless university students (N = 282) and adults from the general community, the majority of whom were parents (N = 252). Within both samples, the POPI subscales evidenced sound factor structure and adequate internal reliabilities and construct validity as determined by its ability to distinguish between individuals with differing attitudes and intentions toward parenting. The POPI appears to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring the perceptions of parenting, regardless of whether these perceptions are based on expectations or experience.     

Effect of university physical education courses on intention for physical activity adherence in Korea

Individuals' intentions of adopting physical activity as part of their lifestyle changed after university physical education courses in Korea. Male students (N = 264) taking physical education courses at a university in Korea were tested on the first and last day of a semester using a physical activity adherence questionnaire. The results showed that the intention to continue physical activity increased after taking the courses.     

Student and faculty gender in ratings of university teaching quality

The aim of this study is to test the assertion that student and faculty gender, together with their possible interaction, have little or almost no real effect on student ratings of university teaching quality, taking into account the diversity of academic disciplines as a modulating variable. A sample of 1,304 student ratings from a university in Madrid, Spain, was selected out of a total of 236,862. The Complutense University Teachers Evaluation Questionnaire was administered to students at the Complutense University of Madrid for assessing teaching quality. This instrument operationalizes two main dimensions in evaluation of teaching in higher education: Teaching Competence and Motivational and Interactive Skills. When the results were analyzed, taking into consideration both possible statistical significance and effect size, they supported the proposed assertion. These results may have implications on certain areas of higher education.     

Positive and negative responses to personal discrimination: does coping make a difference?

Although researches (e.g., K. L. Dion, K. K. Dion, & A. W.-p. Pak, 1992) have associated perceiving personal discrimination with negative psychological symptoms, group consciousness theorists (e.g., S. L. Bartky, 1977) have suggested that perceiving personal discrimination can be empowering. To attempt to reconcile these presumably opposing findings, the author suggested that the method of coping with perceiving personal discrimination would better predict whether the outcomes are negative or positive than would the perception of personal discrimination alone. Female university students (N = 262) in the United States completed questionnaires assessing perceptions of personal discrimination, psychological symptoms, and psychosocial behaviors. Coping mechanisms predicted psychosocial behaviors better than did personal discrimination: The more the participants used social support to cope, the more collective action and less helplessness behavior they reported. Also, the more the participants used avoidance to cope, the more helplessness behavior they reported.     

A method for obtaining psychophysical estimates of movement costs

Although researchers generally accept the proposition that movement costs are taken into account in the planning of voluntary movements, there is no established psychophysical method for estimating such costs. The authors tested and introduce a possible method. Participants were given every possible pair of tasks from a set of tasks that varied along one or more dimensions. In each trial, they indicated which task was easier to perform. The authors used participants' probability of preferring any given task over others to estimate the judged relative cost (JRC) of that task, and they used the JRCs of all the tasks to quantify the relation between task preference and task properties. The method was applied in 3 experiments in which university students (Experiment 1, N = 20; Experiment 2, N = 40; Experiment 3, N = 20) chose which spatial target to move to in carrying an object from one position to another. The data were consistent with the hypothesis that the JRC of moving an object increases with the degree to which the object must be translated and rotated. The simplicity of the method encourages its application to a wide range of questions about motor behavior.     

The mental health of university students in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

There are increasing concerns globally about the mental health of students. In the UK, the actual incidence of mental disturbance is unknown, although university counselling services report increased referrals. This study assesses the levels of mental illness in undergraduate students to examine whether widening participation in education has resulted in increases as hypothesised by the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists. Patterns of disturbance across years are compared to identify where problems arise. Students (N=1197) completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 either on the first day at university or midway through the academic year for first, second and third year students. Rates of mental illness in students equalled those of the general population but only 5.1% were currently receiving treatment. Second year students reported the most significant increases in psychiatric symptoms. Factors contributing to the problem are discussed.     

Small group therapy and preadolescent same-sex friendship

On the rationale that group psychotherapy focuses on interaction processes in close relationships, our study sought to investigate the hypothesis that small group therapy would be effective in enhancing intimate friendship in a dyadic relationship. The study group consisted of 102 elementary school students who had been referred for counseling help. Matched by age, sex, and similarity of problem, each pair of students was divided into an experimental group (N = 55) and a control group (N = 47). The experimental group contained eight small treatment groups and the control group contained seven matching small groups, leaving one special education group with no control. The results support our hypothesis that group psychotherapy positively affects intimate friendship of girls and boys. They further suggest the boys' need for such an experience, since without it they markedly deteriorate in intimate friendship. Implications for the group leader are derived from the correlations between gains in intimate friendship and group intimacy.     

Preventing postparchment depression: a model of career counseling for college seniors

College graduates and employers alike have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of job competencies of new graduates. Both groups suggest that institutions of higher education must do a better job of preparing their students to meet workplace challenges. The author describes the problem and presents a model that is delivered via distance education at one university. One of the major goals of the program presented is to ease the transition of college graduates to the workforce. The practical suggestions are appropriate for practitioners who work with this population, and they can be adapted for individual or group counseling.     

The Treatment of the Young Delinquent by J. Arthur Hoyles

On the rationale that group psychotherapy focuses on interaction processes in close relationships, our study sought to investigate the hypothesis that small group therapy would be effective in enhancing intimate friendship in a dyadic relationship. The study group consisted of 102 elementary school students who had been referred for counseling help. Matched by age, sex, and similarity of problem, each pair of students was divided into an experimental group (N = 55) and a control group (N = 47). The experimental group contained eight small treatment groups and the control group contained seven matching small groups, leaving one special education group with no control. The results support our hypothesis that group psychotherapy positively affects intimate friendship of girls and boys. They further suggest the boys' need for such an experience, since without it they markedly deteriorate in intimate friendship. Implications for the group leader are derived from the correlations between gains in intimate friendship and group intimacy.     

Value Priorities and Organ Donation in Young Adults

This research identifies major personal values among American university students that predict organ-donation registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Participants responded to a factual test of their knowledge about organ donation, indicated whether or not they had registered as posthumous donors, and filled out a personality inventory measuring their personal values (Schwartz, 1992, 1994). The data indicated a high level of factual knowledge about organ donation; and the greater the level of knowledge, the more likely participants were registered to donate their organs. Also, participants higher in benevolence, universalism, achievement, and stimulation were more likely to have registered to donate their organs. The results are discussed in terms of the need to develop more effective health-communication campaigns by using specific health-education messages tailored to students majoring in different disciplines or to people in various occupations as a means of increasing their willingness to donate.     

Appraising the Character of a College

The effectiveness of college and university consultants depends on whether or not they understand and appreciate the institutional context in which they are working. Using examples from different types of colleges and universities, the author of this article describes how three clusters of institutional properties (mission, philosophy, culture) work together to influence the behavior of students, faculty, and administrators. Four suggestions are offered for consultants who wish to incorporate appraisals of institutional character in their work.     

Illusory correlation and attitude-based vested interest

The present studies test whether having a ‘vested interest’ in a particular outcome affects perceived covariation. Vested interest was defined as a function of whether Dutch university students were in favour or against the implementation of a threatening policy (receiving lectures in English as opposed to the native Dutch). In both studies subjects were told that this policy would be tried out at either their own or another comparable university, and that the university chosen would be the one with the greatest proportion of support for the plan. In Study 1 subjects (n = 151) were presented with statements expressing pro or contra attitudes and arguments to the policy. These were ostensibly derived from students at both universities but university affiliation was not indicated. In Study 2 (n = 114) similar information was provided but the statements were attributed to students from the two universities, such that there was an equal proportion of opposition/support for the plan at both universities. We hypothesized that illusory correlations would reflect the vested interest of attitude such that students opposing the policy would overestimate the proportion of opponents to supporters at their own university compared to those in favour of the policy. The results of both studies supported our hypothesis and they also revealed attitude to be a more important predictor of illusory correlation than perceived personal consequences for themselves. The prediction that illusory correlations would be weaker in Study 2 than in Study 1, because it provides less scope for bias, was not supported. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Relationships between attachment security and self-construal orientations

The authors report the results of two studies in which they explored the relationship of related and individuated self-construals, as suggested by the balanced integration-differentiation (BID) model (E. O. Imamo?lu, 2003), with (a) general attachment security in the first study (N = 168 Turkish university students) and (b) relationship-specific attachment security with the family, peers, and romantic partners in the second study (N = 110 Turkish university students). Results indicated that attachment security tended to be associated with the relational self-orientation; however, when relatedness was complemented with individuation, there was a trend toward enhanced attachment security that reached significance when multiple measures of attachment across relationship contexts were considered. The authors discuss results with reference to their implications for attachment theory and the BID model.     

How do shy people expand their social networks? Using social surrogates as a strategy to expand one's network

The authors examined the use of social surrogates by shy people to expand their social network when entering a new environment, following Bradshaw's social surrogate hypothesis. The authors conducted a panel survey of 70 friendship pairs of students 7 months after they entered university. The results revealed that when a friend acted as a surrogate, the shy students extended their joint networks more. In contrast, not-shy students extended their networks regardless of whether a friend acted as a surrogate. These results indicate that even shy people can adjust indirectly to new social circumstances because they can expand their social networks by using a close friend as a surrogate.     

Cramer's model of willingness to seek counseling: a structural equation model for counseling students

The author tested how well K. M. Cramer's model of willingness to seek counseling fit for master's level counseling students. Counseling students (N = 519) from across the United States completed a survey. Using structural equation modeling, the author found that Cramer's model fit with counseling students. Counseling students were most likely to report being willing to seek counseling if they had a positive attitude toward counseling, low level of self-concealment, high level of distress, and low social support.