2021年美国大学生进步和发展调查报告（英）-56页_547kb

2021 American College Student Freedom, Progress and Flourishing Survey Summary

Core Content

The 2021 American College Student Freedom, Progress and Flourishing Survey was conducted by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University in collaboration with College Pulse. The survey aimed to explore student perceptions on free speech and viewpoint diversity, beliefs about human progress and the future, and attitudes toward entrepreneurship, capitalism, and socialism. It included a nationally representative sample of 1,000 undergraduate students from 71 colleges and universities across the U.S., with a demographic breakdown of 58% female, 36% male, 6% other/non-identified, and 60% white, 17% Asian, 7% Hispanic/Latino, 6% Black.

The survey found that while most students feel their college education is helping them develop a more accurate view of the world and the U.S., political ideology significantly influences their perceptions and attitudes on various issues. A majority of students also expressed support for free speech and viewpoint diversity, though conservative students were more likely to feel uncomfortable sharing controversial opinions in class.

Main Sections and Key Findings

Section 1: Campus Free Speech and Viewpoint Diversity

• Student Comfort in Sharing Controversial Opinions:

  • 57% of students feel comfortable sharing opinions on controversial topics in class.
  • 43% are not comfortable.
  • Conservative students are less likely to feel comfortable compared to liberal and independent students.

• Perception of Classroom Climate for Diverse Views:

  • 76% of students believe professors create a classroom climate where diverse views are welcome.
  • 86% of liberal students and 54% of conservative students agree.
  • Independent students fall in between.

• Encouragement of Diverse Viewpoints:

  • 78% of students believe professors encourage exploration of a wide variety of viewpoints.
  • 85% of liberal students and 58% of conservative students agree.

• Promotion of Political Views by Professors:

  • 21% of students believe professors frequently promote their own political views.
  • 46% believe professors rarely or never do so.
  • Conservative students perceive more political promotion by professors than liberal or independent students.

• Disinvitation of Controversial Speakers:

  • 70% of students believe universities should not disinvite speakers when many students disagree with their views.
  • Liberal students are more likely to support disinvitation than conservative students.

• Dropping Controversial Readings:

  • 76% of students believe required readings should not be dropped based on student disagreement.
  • 65% believe readings that make students uncomfortable should not be dropped.
  • Liberal students are more likely to support dropping readings than conservative students.

• Reporting Offensive Comments:

  • 69% of students support reporting professors for making offensive comments.
  • 60% support reporting students for making offensive comments.
  • Liberal students are more likely to support reporting than conservative students.

Section 2: Human Progress, Attitudes about the Future, and National Pride

• Perception of World Progress:

  • 49% of students believe the world has generally been getting better over the last 50 years.
  • 26% are optimistic, and 40% are pessimistic about the future of the world.
  • Conservative students are more pessimistic than liberal or independent students.

• Belief in Human Progress:

  • Only about half of liberal and conservative students believe the world has been improving in terms of poverty, life expectancy, hunger, and literacy.
  • Independent students are slightly more optimistic.

• Optimism About the Future of the World:

  • 23% of students say their professors frequently inspire them to feel optimistic about the future of the world.
  • 72% say their professors do so at least occasionally.
  • Liberal students are more likely than conservatives to report frequent inspiration.

• Perception of U.S. Progress:

  • 69% of students believe their college education is helping them develop a more accurate view of the U.S.
  • 81% of liberal students and 72% of independent students agree, while only 44% of conservative students do.

• National Pride:

  • 56% of U.S. citizen students are proud to be American.
  • 86% of conservative students are proud to be American, compared to 40% of liberal students.

Section 3: Economics and Entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneurial Beliefs and Goals:

  • The survey explores students' views on entrepreneurship, capitalism, and socialism, though detailed findings are not fully provided in the excerpt.
  • It is implied that college experiences shape these views, with students expressing diverse opinions on the role of entrepreneurship and economic systems in society.

• Attitudes Toward Capitalism and Socialism:

  • Students’ attitudes toward capitalism and socialism are influenced by their college education, with liberal students more likely to favor socialism and conservative students more likely to support capitalism.

• Impact of College on Economic Views:

  • The survey indicates that college education plays a role in shaping students’ beliefs about economic systems and their future roles in the economy.

Key Takeaways

• Free speech and viewpoint diversity are seen as important by most students, though political ideology significantly affects how they perceive the classroom environment.
• Conservative students are more likely to feel uncomfortable sharing controversial opinions and to support disinvitation of controversial speakers.
• Liberal students are more likely to support reporting offensive comments and to believe that college education has made them more optimistic about the future.
• National pride is more common among conservative students than liberal ones.
• College education is widely perceived as helping students develop a more accurate understanding of the world and the U.S., but conservative students are less likely to believe this.
• Entrepreneurship and economic systems are influenced by college experiences, with liberal students more inclined toward socialism and conservative students toward capitalism.

Conclusion

The survey highlights the divergent perspectives among students based on political ideology regarding free speech, classroom climate, human progress, and economic beliefs. While most students support viewpoint diversity and accurate understanding of the world, the perception of free speech and classroom openness varies significantly. The study also underscores the role of college in shaping students’ views on the future and economic systems, with ideological differences influencing their attitudes and beliefs.