Critical Thinking and Political Participation: Development and Assessment of a Causal Model

Abstract

This study assessed a model of the relationship between critical thinking and political participation. The direct effect of critical thinking was compared with its indirect effects mediated by personality/attitudinal variables, such as personal control, political efficacy, self-esteem, and democratic attitude. Data were gathered from intact classes of students (n = 118), approximately 65 percent of whom were undergraduates. Relationships among variables in the model were examined using path analysis. Findings indicate that critical thinking has indirect positive effects on orientations toward and reported political participation, that critical thinking positively affects personal control, political efficacy, and democratic attitude, and that personal control has a strong direct effect on political efficacy.