Student support towards war in college students from different religiously affiliated colleges in the Midwest of the United States

Abstract

This study reports on a study of student attitudes towards war. To study the impact that the type of university attended has on a student’s level of support for war and attitudes towards war a 15‐question survey on moral disengagement in support of military actions based on one developed by McAlister was given to college students attending Quaker, Catholic and public universities in the Midwest of the USA in 2008. In a survey of 395 students, it was found that students from Quaker colleges were less morally disengaged from war than were students from both the Catholic and public colleges/universities. This observation is further supported when the mean support for war scores amongst the six schools involved in the survey were compared. One of the Quaker colleges was significantly different from the other five schools studied. This school heavily influenced the comparative difference observed by school type. Finally, when mean scores on each of the 15 questions were examined individually it was observed that lowest mean score on each individual question was observed at one of the Quaker colleges. At one Quaker college and at one Catholic college there was a trend towards lower levels of support for war from the first to fourth year of college. No significant trend was found at the other four schools. It was also observed that women had lower levels of support for war than men. This study found that students attending Quaker colleges, which profess a peace testimony as part of their mission statements, have lower levels of support for war and violence than students attending either Catholic or public colleges. This is suggestive that students attending Quaker colleges accept the peace components of their mission. In an additional survey, entering students at the Quaker college that was significantly different from the other schools were surveyed during first year orientation before classes began. These students were similar to matriculating students at that college. This observation is suggestive that students attending this college came to the college with lower levels of support for war attitudes.

Keywords:

• college undergraduates
• Quaker
• Catholic
• attitudes towards war

Acknowledgements

The author thanks the six colleges and universities for permitting their students to be surveyed and for all the help and assistance in making surveying possible. Kendra Cipollini gave valuable assistance on statistical analysis and on how to analyze and present data in this study and carefully read the manuscript. Finally, the author appreciates several colleagues who read and made suggestions on the study. This includes Nelson Bingham, Mary Ellen Batiuk, and Douglas Woodmansee.