A Scale for Measuring Students' Anti-Intellectualism

Abstract

Two studies were conducted which report the development and testing of the Student Anti-Intellectualism Scale, designed as a measure of anti-intellectual attitudes in students enrolled in higher education. The first study analyzed an initial 25-item scale to assess internal consistency and factorial structure. The second study examining a final version of the scale was conducted to test reliability and factorial structure, in addition to assessing evidence of construct validity. The second study also assessed temporal stability and social desirability response set. The studies indicated the scale had a fundamentally unidimensional structure and considerable internal consistency and also provided support for the validity of the anti-intellectualism constrict. Anti-intellectualism is discussed in the context of personality theory, and suggestions are offered with reference to establishing anti-intellectualism as a trait relative to the five-factor model of personality.

The Impact of Anti-Intellectualism Attitudes and Academic Self-Efficacy on Business Students’ Perceptions of Cheating

“…In the current study, the cheating survey The Impact of Anti-Intellectualism Attitudes and Academic Self-Efficacy by Allmon et al (2000) had reliability ranging from .65 to .89. Eigenberger and Sealander (2001) reported their reliability at .91 and in the current study it was found to be .89. Finally, Chemers et al (2001) tested their academic self-efficacy scale and found its reliability to be .81.…”

“…In order to measure anti-intellectualism, the scale developed by Eigenberger and Sealander (2001) was used. The scale consisted of 25 statements, such as ''I do not like taking courses that are not directly related to my goals after graduation'' and ''The main problems in life require clear and direct answers, not intellectual theorizing.''…”

“…However, early research points to its powerful consequences in the college environment. Eigenberger and Sealander (2001) found that high anti-intellectualism led students to assimilate academic information by rote techniques and surfacelevel learning, rather than adopting a learning style that was deep and meaning-oriented. They also found that anti-intellectualism was negatively related to critical thinking behavior.…”

Students' Anti-Intellectual Attitudes and Adjustment to College

“…Student Anti-intellectualism Scale.-This scale was designed to assess anti-intellectual attitudes as described in the literature, particularly attitudes that pertain to students' educational values and interests (Eigenberger & Sealander, 2001). The authors defined student anti-intellectualism as an attitude of unreflective instrumentalism, the tendency to place preeminent value on practicality, expedience, and material commerce, and the tendency to minimize the importance of introspection, critical thinking, and intellectual exploration.…”

“…Talbot (1990) effectively predicted academic failure and withdrawal from college using two indicators that are conceptually similar to anti-intellectualism, the preference for complex explanations, as measured by the Attributional Complexity Test (Fletcher, Danilovics, Fernandez, Peterson, & Reeder, 1986) and the need for cognition, as measured by the Need for Cognition Inventory (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982). Using the Inventory of Learning Processes (Schmeck, Riblich, & Ramanaiah, 1977), Eigenberger and Sealander (2001) demonstrated that students' antiintellectual attitudes were negatively correlated with the tendency to engage in the modes of deep and elaborate information processing that are typically required in college coursework.…”