Information and attitudes toward world affairs

A questionnaire containing 4 multiple-choice information questions and 16 attitude items was answered, in high school classes, by 10,000 students. By means of IBM sorting, 1,129 students who had given 3 or 4 correct responses on world affairs and an equal number giving one or no correct responses we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 1949-04, Vol.40 (4), p.206-222
Main Author: Shimberg, Benjamin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
College Students
Human
International Relations
Political Attitudes
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Summary:A questionnaire containing 4 multiple-choice information questions and 16 attitude items was answered, in high school classes, by 10,000 students. By means of IBM sorting, 1,129 students who had given 3 or 4 correct responses on world affairs and an equal number giving one or no correct responses were matched in respect to the factors: grade in school, sex, geographical region, urban-rural residence, home-environment as measured by a six-item socio-economic scale, and political party preference. Slight but significantly significant differences were found in the attitudes of the well-informed and the ill-informed. The former group is "more optimistic, more internationally-minded, more aware of the implications of events, and less given to the emotional solution of international problems."
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/h0060911