Type of academic training and causal attributions for social problems

Abstract

To provide evidence of the effects of academic training on causal attributions, university students in social science, commerce and engineering were compared at different points of their training in terms of their explanations of poverty and unemployment. Results of cross‐sectional analyses showed no field differences in causal attributions at the beginning of the first academic year but significant differences at the end of the year, with social science students blaming the system more than commerce or engineering students. Longitudinal analysis showed that, within a six‐month interval, the causal attributions of the students changed significantly as a function of their field of study. Differential employment prospects, while not accounting for the effects of academic training, were found to be related to attributional change. These results confirm the hypothesis that causal attributions are affected by socialization in a particular culture and that exposure to the culture of the social sciences reinforces a system‐blame ideology. The implications of these findings for theories of the attribution process and theories of intergroup relations are discussed.

The Effects of Higher Education in Economics, Law and Political Science on Perceptions of Responsibility and Sustainability

“…When studying the different student groups we actually see interesting differences again. Students in economics (−0.094*) are less likely to blame "the system" while political science students after one semester are more likely to think that reforming "the economic structures" is the key to managing environmental problems (0.177 ¤ ) This is in line with results from previous research; social science students are more likely to suggest structural explanations while business/economics students are less likely to do so (Guimond et al 1989;Guimond and Palmer 1990).…”

“…Research has shown that different types of education influence where people place the responsibility for societal problems. For example, Guimond, Begin and Palmer (1989), Guimond and Palmer (1990) have shown that social science students are more likely to give structural explanations to problems of unemployment and poverty, while business school students are more likely to attribute this to individual factors. In one of their studies they found that social science students are even more likely than poor/unemployed to give attributions to structural factors.…”

“…The authors believe that this can be explained by socialization. Social science students are taught that there are structural origins of these problems and are therefore more likely to provide structural explanations to the problem (Guimond et al 1989;Guimond and Palmer 1990). Hence, a structural perspective is not about feeling personal responsibility or pointing at specific actors, but rather a view of an overarching perspective-the "system"-causing the problems.…”

Socialisation et attribution causale : le rôle des études universitaires

“…Il s'agit simplement de ne pas comprendre une cohorte donnée d'étudiants universitaires en tant qu'entité monolithique, mais plutôt d'y discerner l'altérité des attitudes en fonction des filières académiques. Une longue série d'études, notamment Bernier (1978), Guimond (1992), Guimond, Bégin et Palmer (1989), Guimond et Palmer (1990, 1996, Franks, Falk et Hinton (1973), Hartnett et Centra (1977), confirme ces pré-dictions: d'importantes différences attitudinales sont décelées, dans le sens attendu, entre les étudiants en gestion et leurs condisciples sociologues. Mais il y a plus : outre les variations selon le domaine d'études, sont enregistrées des évolutions en fonction du niveau d'études.…”

A Role for Social Psychology Instruction in Reducing Bias and Conflict

“…Available data indicated that in the two sections of the general education course, 13% of the students were majoring in social science and 49% in business, whereas in the social psychology sections, 69% of the students were majoring in social science and 11% in business. These differing ratios might be relevant, because social science majors are more likely than business majors to blame situational factors for poverty and unemployment (e.g., Guimond & Palmer, 1990). However, covarying self-reported FAE understanding removed the course effects on two of three outcome measures, suggesting that social psychology students' greater understanding of FAE material was one contributor to those course effects.…”