Political biases in higher education: Criteria and evidence Markus Kemmelmeier, Ph.D. University of Nevada, Reno

Biographical note Ph.D. in psychology (University of Michigan, 2001) Ph.D. in psychology (University of Michigan, 2001) Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology, Dept of Sociology, University of Nevada Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology, Dept of Sociology, University of Nevada Teaching and research in the area of social psychology of education Teaching and research in the area of social psychology of education

Political biases in Education Different meanings of “bias” Different meanings of “bias” Differential student support, comfort Differential student support, comfort Differential hiring, firing of instructors/personnel Differential hiring, firing of instructors/personnel Discriminatory teaching practices Discriminatory teaching practices Different expectations for members of different groups Different expectations for members of different groups Favoritism, partial evaluation of performance Favoritism, partial evaluation of performance Are there politically/ideologically motivated GRADING BIASES that challenge principles of fairness and equity? Are there politically/ideologically motivated GRADING BIASES that challenge principles of fairness and equity? SYSTEMATIC? SYSTEMATIC? LARGE-SCALE? LARGE-SCALE? Presumed by Academic Freedom Movement

Perceptions of political bias Subjective assessments of bias often flawed Subjective assessments of bias often flawed Self-serving Self-serving Inaccurate Inaccurate Driven by distrust Driven by distrust Anecdotal evidence, case studies not representative Anecdotal evidence, case studies not representative Self-selection problem Self-selection problem Claims of bias receive undue attention Claims of bias receive undue attention Objective and systematic evidence needed to establish presence (absence) of bias Objective and systematic evidence needed to establish presence (absence) of bias

Establishing Grading Bias BIAS: “Undeserved (dis)advantage to individuals because of non-pertinent characteristics” BIAS: “Undeserved (dis)advantage to individuals because of non-pertinent characteristics” Bias as deviation from deservingness must be demonstrated Bias as deviation from deservingness must be demonstrated Farkas, Sheehan & Grobe (1990) Amer Educ Research J Farkas, Sheehan & Grobe (1990) Amer Educ Research J Middle school students Middle school students Stud. Background: Gender Race/ethnicity Social class Grade Bias?

Farkas et al. (1990) Stud. Background: Gender Race/ethnicity Social class Grade Objective merit: Coursework mastery Student conduct Do race, gender, class differences in grades reflect differences in objective merit or bias? Do race, gender, class differences in grades reflect differences in objective merit or bias? Bias (?) Higher grades than deserved: - Girls -Caucasians -Asians - higher SES

Student-instructor similarity Student-instructor similarity results sometimes in higher students grades Student-instructor similarity results sometimes in higher students grades Instructor bias? Instructor bias? Instructor has to have opportunity to show (ideological) favoritism Instructor has to have opportunity to show (ideological) favoritism Is similarity incidental to student behavior? Is similarity incidental to student behavior? Compatibility of styles? Compatibility of styles? Student motivation? Student motivation? What is the process that links political student- instructor similarity to higher grades?

Political ideology of faculty ESTABLISHED: ESTABLISHED: Higher ed faculty are more left-leaning than general population Higher ed faculty are more left-leaning than general population Social science, humanities faculty very left-leaning Social science, humanities faculty very left-leaning Economists, business faculty moderately left-leaning Economists, business faculty moderately left-leaning NOT (yet?) ESTABLISHED that NOT (yet?) ESTABLISHED that left-leaning faculty orientation translates into a academic disadvantage for right-leaning students left-leaning faculty orientation translates into a academic disadvantage for right-leaning students

Kemmelmeier, Danielson & Basten (2005), Personality & Social Psych Bulletin Compatibility effects: Students’ political ideology and success in strongly left-leaning fields and not-so left-leaning fields Compatibility effects: Students’ political ideology and success in strongly left-leaning fields and not-so left-leaning fields Large-scale examination of almost an entire college cohort (3890 students) at a major public university over 4 years Large-scale examination of almost an entire college cohort (3890 students) at a major public university over 4 years Do conservatives and liberals with same qualifications get different grades in the same classroom?

Liberal student Conservative student SOCIOLOGY 101ECONOMICS 101 A conservative and liberal student with identical qualifications (e.g. test scores) and background characteristics take the same pair of courses GRADE Liberal = GRADE Conserv GRADE Liberal < GRADE Conserv Student political ideology has no influence The conservative student receives a better grade

Compounding GPA differences over time GPA advantage of conservative student over liberal students in very left-leaning fields (e.g., sociology) vs. not so left-leaning fields (e.g., economics) GPA advantage of conservative student over liberal students in very left-leaning fields (e.g., sociology) vs. not so left-leaning fields (e.g., economics) Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4 Findings not compatible with notion of pervasive anti-conservative grading bias Process? Bias?

Ideal Study to Establish Political Bias Assess student politics Assess student politics Assess objective student deservingness/merit Assess objective student deservingness/merit Assess instructor politics (!) Assess instructor politics (!) Assess if instructor is aware of students politics (!) Assess if instructor is aware of students politics (!) Examine Examine IF student politics has an influence on grades net of deservingness/merit IF student politics has an influence on grades net of deservingness/merit HOW student politics has an influence on grades HOW student politics has an influence on grades Anti-conservative grading biases not been empirically established, but research cannot (yet) answer some critical questions

Appendix

What the research cannot yet answer How general are existing findings from systematic research? How general are existing findings from systematic research? Are student perceptions of political bias accurate? Are student perceptions of political bias accurate? What is the educational cost of the mere perception of political bias? What is the educational cost of the mere perception of political bias? Are existing political compatibility effects masked by conservative students “faking” views that their teacher wants to hear? Are existing political compatibility effects masked by conservative students “faking” views that their teacher wants to hear? Appendix 1.1

Sidanius et al. (1991), Political Psychology FINDING: “Conservative students have lower cumulative GPAs than liberal students” Numerous potential explanations Numerous potential explanations “Conservatives are discriminated against” “Conservatives are discriminated against” “Conservatives are not as academically prepared as liberals” “Conservatives are not as academically prepared as liberals” “Conservatives are not as motivated as liberals” “Conservatives are not as motivated as liberals” “Conservatives take harder classes” “Conservatives take harder classes” Are conservative and liberal students comparable ? Appendix 2.1

Course choice and GPA Conservative students more likely to choose business, economics classes/majors (=less left-leaning fields) Conservative students more likely to choose business, economics classes/majors (=less left-leaning fields) Liberal students more likely to choose sociology, anthropology etc. classes/majors (=more left-leaning fields) Liberal students more likely to choose sociology, anthropology etc. classes/majors (=more left-leaning fields) Business, economics classes are “harder” Business, economics classes are “harder” Lower average grades Lower average grades Sociology, anthropology classes are “easier” Sociology, anthropology classes are “easier” Higher average grades Higher average grades  Conservative students have lower GPAs than liberal students Different outcomes due to course choice, not grading bias! Appendix 2.2

Anti-conservative bias in faculty hiring? Rothman, Lichter & Nevitte (2005) The Forum Rothman, Lichter & Nevitte (2005) The Forum Bias as deviation from deservingness Bias as deviation from deservingness Surveyed 1643 faculty from 183 colleges Surveyed 1643 faculty from 183 colleges Keeping background variables + academic accomplishment constant Keeping background variables + academic accomplishment constant Conservatives/Republicans/practicing Christians were employed at less prestigious institutions than liberals/Democrats/non-religious individuals Conservatives/Republicans/practicing Christians were employed at less prestigious institutions than liberals/Democrats/non-religious individuals Process? Bias? Potential alternative explanations? Appendix 3.1

Presentation downloadable from: Author contact: Markus Kemmelmeier, Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology Department of Sociology/300 University of Nevada Reno, Nevada (775)