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How Public Confidence in Higher Education Varies by Social Context

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  • David R. Johnson
  • Jared L. Peifer

Abstract

Some research suggests a crisis of public confidence in universities and colleges in the United States. But approaches to theorizing confidence in higher education do not examine how confidence varies across social contexts, while empirical efforts to document confidence are characteristically limited by weak construct validity. Drawing on a nationally-representative survey of 10,241 Americans, we develop a conceptual framework that examines how political ideology, religion, parental career encouragement, and demographic factors correlate with confidence in higher education. Only fourteen percent of the US public reports “a great deal” of confidence in higher education. Evangelical Protestants, Catholics, Jews, individuals who perceive a conflict between science and religion (and are on the side of religion), and political conservatives are significantly less likely to report confidence in higher education, while parents who report the strongest encouragement of professional career paths for their children are significantly more likely to report confidence in higher education.

Suggested Citation

  • David R. Johnson & Jared L. Peifer, 2017. "How Public Confidence in Higher Education Varies by Social Context," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 88(4), pages 619-644, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:uhejxx:v:88:y:2017:i:4:p:619-644
    DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2017.1291256
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    Cited by:

    1. Pauline Marsh & Suzanne Mallick & Emily Flies & Penelope Jones & Sue Pearson & Iain Koolhof & Jason Byrne & Dave Kendal, 2020. "Trust, Connection and Equity: Can Understanding Context Help to Establish Successful Campus Community Gardens?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-25, October.
    2. Philip S. Brenner, 2021. "Effects of Nonresponse, Measurement, and Coverage Bias in Survey Estimates of Voting," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(2), pages 939-954, March.
    3. Michael A. Miner, 2020. "Unmet Promises: Diminishing Confidence in Education Among College‐Educated Adults from 1973 to 2018," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(6), pages 2312-2331, October.

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