Students’ willingness to extend civil liberties to disliked groups
NinaSimone Edwards · UTC Scholar (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) · 2019
There have been a variety of studies that sought to measure political tolerance and public attitudes. These studies have varied in that some focused on specific groups (such as Communists or atheists) that tolerance was measured against, and others allowed respondents to choose from a list of political groups. Sullivan et. al (1979) focused on the public, with respondents given the choice of choosing their least-liked groups for the measurement of tolerance. This study uses questions utilized in the Sullivan et. al study, as well as national GSS/NORC surveys, to measure political tolerance and public attitudes among college students. There was little change found in the amount of tolerance shown from respondents in the Sullivan et. al study and the respondents in this study; however, students were more likely to show intolerance towards the groups that they chose as their least-liked group. College and university campuses allow students the opportunity to interact with diverse communities, and thus, students have the probability of being more tolerant than other populations previously measured. Despite diversity apparent on college campuses, however, students in this study displayed intolerance towards their least-liked group, and groups they found offensive.