A second contrast we found was that the state university students’ tended in general and more frequently to affirm modern statements and, strikingly, those expressive of a radical postmodern worldview, while the church-affiliated students’ values tended more commonly to affirm transmodern as well as traditional values. For example, a plurality of the “secular” (state university) students agreed with the benchmark Modern statement that “only education can save us” while only 17% of the parochial undergrads agreed; and, in response to the quintessentially Radical Postmodern statement that “my only duty is to be true to me,” 50% of the state university students but only 2% of the church college undergrads agreed.
Finally, it is interesting to consider the average statement-responses of the undergraduates at some distinctly different kinds of institutions. For instance, this table (Box 4) provides some comparisons from our 1992 Phase II international study. I invite each of you to reflect for a few moments on the near-unanimity in some cases (e.g., the importance of friendship and the affirmation of hopefulness over despair) and of extreme difference in others, such as the necessity of children for a happy life or the equality of ideas.
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Box 4 Comparative Responses at Five Distinctive Institutions Phase II. International Student Worldviews 1992 College/University* % Agreement** Statement 1 2 3 4 5 “Live free or die” is a motto that I accept. 42 33 85 100 54 Merit should be the basis for status in society. 31 18 74 82 62 Cigarettes should be banned. 62 55 55 70 50 Sometimes violence is necessary. 57 72 45 80 41 Personal sacrifice is essential for happiness. 64 58 93 90 33 A white person can understand a black person. 40 94 97 94 28 A man can understand a woman. 47 62 92 65 56 Friendship is important to me. 88 98 97 92 96 My ideas are as good as…an authority’s. 82 71 98 16 38 I am more hopeful…than despairing. 80 80 91 82 80 I would be willing to live in poverty if…content. 14 68 56 94 75 One must have children to have a happy life. 4 8 87 81 18 (Sex before) marriage is morally wrong. 39 88 37 84 40 All ideas have equal worth. 67 36 82 18 10 I am willing to die for my country. 7 58 56 100 27 *1=Grambling State U., LA, USA; 2=Colorado Christian College, CO, USA; 3=Vina del Mar University, Chile; 4=College of Science and Technology, Gaza; 5=University of South Korea, Seoul, S.K.**Where agreement = % strongly agree + agree or strongly disagree + disagree. |