Reed College
Reed College

Pluralistic Ignorance

Hum 110

Below are questions pertaining to Reed students' feelings about Humanities 110 and the recent protests

In the 2017 Survey, Reed students were asked about their perception of campus norms as well as percieved faculty and administration opinions.

How comfortable do you feel with the methods of protest?

Year: 2017
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 9 (extremely)

Student Body

Actual norm = 5.81 (SD = 2.10)
Perceived norm = 4.95 (SD = 1.26)
p < 0.0001, significant

Participants report being significantly more comfortable than the average Reed student.

Faculty and Administration  

Faculty = 3.40 (SD = 1.24)
Administration = 2.06 (SD = 1.22)

Faculty and Administration were perceived to be significantly less comfortable than Reed students. 
 
Comparison of the above two questions
A repeated measures ANOVA found that all four means differed significantly from each other.

How much do you desire a change in the Hum 110 syllabus?

Year: 2017
Scale: 1 (not much) to 9 (Extremely)
 
Students

Actual norm = 6.33 (SD = 2.13)
Perceived norm = 5.72  (SD = 1.35)
p = 0.003, significant

Participants report that they desired change in the syllabus more than the average Reed student.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty = 4.22 (SD = 1.37)
Administration = 3.25 (SD = 1.80)

Changes to the syllabus were perceived to be significantly less desirable to Faculty and Administration.

 Comparison of the above two questions
A repeated measures ANOVA found that all four means differed significantly from each other.

How much do you actively participate in the discussion surrounding the Hum 110 protest?

Year: 2017
Scale: 1 (not much) to 9 (Extremely)
 
Students

Actual norm = 4.14 (SD = 2.01)
Perceived norm = 4.08 (SD = 1.42)
p = 0.72, not significant

Participants report that they engaged in discussion about as much as the average Reed student.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty = 4.60 (SD = 1.68)
Administration = 4.80  (SD = 2.08)

Faculty and Administration were perceived to be engaging in discussion about as much as the average Reed student.

Comparison of the above two questions
A repeated measures ANOVA found that the student actual norm differs from Faculty and Administration (4.14 and 4.60, 4.80); the perceived norm differs from Faculty and Administration (4.08 and 4.60, 4.80). No other relationship differs significantly.