There are differences in the levels of interest and involvement
in spirituality and religion between men and women and among
student subgroups, but acceptance and tolerance of the belief
systems of others is a widely shared and important characteristic
of college students, a recent study found.
In an attempt to examine the spiritual development of
undergraduate students, the Higher Education Research Institute at
UCLA recently surveyed 112,232 incoming first-year students at 236
colleges and universities nationwide.
Of the students surveyed, 76 percent were white, eight percent
were black, seven percent were Asian American and five percent were
Latino.
In a report, called “The Spiritual Life of College
Students,” information from the study is used to focus on
students’ search for meaning and purpose through religion and
spirituality while in college.
According to the report, four of every five entering college
students have an interest in spirituality, and over three-quarters
believe in God.
Newly released information from the study found notable
differences between the levels of religious commitment espoused by
blacks when compared to whites, and between men and women.
The study found that blacks are more likely than whites to
believe in God, pray and attend religious services frequently.
It also noted that women score higher than men on 11 out of 12
scales measuring aspects of spirituality and religiousness.
“We’re digging into the data more deeply now,”
said Alexander Astin, co-principal investigator for the study and
professor emeritus in the graduate school of education and
information studies at UCLA.
Participants in the study evinced a high level of tolerance and
acceptance for religious and spiritual viewpoints differing from
their own, which surprised researchers, Astin said.
While students may have strong religious or spiritual leanings,
they still show acceptance of those who might not share their
views, Astin said, noting that this finding is important especially
when considering the diversity of viewpoints found at the
university level.
Information technology and easy access to news outlets, such as
CNN, provide students with knowledge of the broad realm of
viewpoints and beliefs in the world, which previously would have
been difficult to attain, said history professor Scott Bartchy,
director of the center for the study of religion at UCLA.
“One consequence of such knowledge is an understanding of
diversity,” Bartchy said.
Bartchy said he thought it was encouraging that the study showed
a greater sense of diversity, because “we have to find a way
on this planet for religions to live together, because there will
be no peace on this planet until there’s peace between
religions.”
Allowing young people to see and understand this is an important
part of the role of higher education, Bartchy said.
It is unclear from the data whether students today are more
tolerant and understanding of differing religious viewpoints than
college students have been in earlier years.
No previous sample of students has been asked these particular
questions regarding tolerance of other people’s beliefs, so
there is no way of knowing if students are more or less accepting
now than before, said Helen Astin, co-principal investigator for
the study and professor emeritus in the graduate school of
education and information studies.
But the responses most students gave “speak to more of an
acceptance of diversity,” and show that students “are
willing to understand and accept other people’s belief
systems,” she said.
“Our campuses are very diverse with respect to
students’ religious identity,” she said. “(There
is) a lot of conflict arising from religious
differences.”
A student population able to accept differing belief systems
could allow “one (to) expect less of a conflict based on
religious differences,” Astin said.
A follow-up survey will be given to the students surveyed in
spring 2007, when they will be third-year undergraduates, in order
to identify and study changes in the spiritual and religious
development of students during their undergraduate careers.