Intelligent.com Survey Shows Over 50 Percent of College Students Avoid Expressing Opinions on Political or Social Issues in the Classroom
Students are self-censoring out of fear of losing respect from professors and peers, jeopardizing their grades, or being ridiculed, regardless of political party affiliation
SEATTLE, Sept. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has published findings from a new survey that examines students' concerns about self-expression in the classroom. Research experts analyzed responses from 1,500 American college students.
According to this study, 52 percent of all college students say they always or often withhold views on political and social issues in the classroom due to potential consequences. Conservative students are more likely to suppress their opinions, with 55 percent admitting that they continuously or frequently keep quiet about policy or societal matters. Fifty-two percent of moderate students and 49 percent of liberal students also avoid sharing points of view out of fear of consequences. The most common concerns among respondents are losing the respect of professors and classmates, social ostracization, and jeopardizing their grades.
The study also shows that men are more hesitant about speaking out in the classroom than women. Fifty-eight percent of conservative men say they refrain from speaking openly about political issues, compared to 51 percent of conservative women. Fifty-four percent of both liberal and moderate men avoid sharing their political views, compared to only 45 percent of liberal women and 49 percent of moderate women.
Survey results indicate that self-censorship extends beyond the classroom. In online environments, 58 percent of conservative students, 53 percent of moderate students, and 51 percent of liberal students report that they avoid expressing opinions on political or social issues. Although they are more likely to speak up when socializing in person, 51 percent of conservatives, 50 percent of liberals, and 46 percent of moderates say they still hold back.
Intelligent.com created and paid for this study, which was administered via the online survey platform Pollfish. On August 12, 2021, the survey was distributed to 500 conservative students, 500 liberal students, and 500 moderate students across the United States. The study included questions about the students' political alignment and feelings about sharing their political opinions in class. To access the complete report, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/college-students-fear-expressing-ideas-in-classroom/
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Julia Morrissey, Intelligent.com, (800) 203-5102, [email protected]
SOURCE Intelligent.com
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