Abstract
The present study examines predictors of support for ethnicity-based affirmative action (AA) in college admissions. There is considerable work focused on predicting support for AA policies in employment, but there is comparative dearth of knowledge about reactions to AA in education. This work applies existing models of support for AA that include beliefs about AA policies (fairness, merit, diversity valuation, and prevalence of discrimination) and individual characteristics (sex, political orientation, and self-interest). White (n = 413) and Hispanic (n = 343) college students completed measures of the model predictors and reactions to a general AA policy and several specific policies (e.g., recruitment of minority applicants, different standards for admission). Regarding the general policy, those who more strongly valued diversity in educational setting and believed discrimination still existed indicated stronger support for general AA policy. Surprisingly, fairness, merit, gender, and political orientation did not uniquely predict support in either sample. Self-interest related to greater support for Hispanic participants only. Across specific policy applications, diversity valuation and recognition of ongoing discrimination were the also most consistent predictors. Findings highlight that models of support for AA in hiring may not be wholly applicable in predicting support for AA in educational admissions.
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Notes
I originally intended to include a measure specifically addressing merit in education settings but excluded this scale as it was not reliable (αs = .52 and .34).
I note that these factors are likely at play at many public universities.
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Appendix: Policy Descriptions
Appendix: Policy Descriptions
Quota: A quota system that specifies admission for a certain number of students of each ethnicity (e.g., admit 20% minority students).
Not Qualified (NQ): Admission of students that are not qualified in order to meet diversity goals.
Race-Blind: Race-blind procedures where no information about an applicant’s ethnicity is seen by decision makers.
Recruit Active recruitment of minority applicants (E.g., recruit at high schools and community colleges with large minority populations).
Ignore Ethnicity: Explicit instructions to decisions makers to ignore ethnicity in admission decisions.
Support: Educational support programs for minority students (e.g., tutoring, study skills training).
Strong Preference: Minority applicants admitted instead of better-qualified white applicants unless the white applicant is much better qualified than the minority applicant.
Different Requirements: Minority students have slightly lower GPA and SAT requirements for admission.
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Aberson, C.L. Predicting Support for Affirmative Action in Educational Admissions. Soc Just Res 34, 196–217 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-021-00366-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-021-00366-z