Publication Date
5-2013
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Dr. Aaron Hughey, Director of Dissertation, Dr. Monica Burke, Dr. Ashley Chance Fox, Dr. Karl Laves
Degree Program
Educational Leadership Doctoral Program
Degree Type
Doctor of Education
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Work
Recommended Citation
Wiser, Gary Gribble Jr., "An Examination of Civic Engagement Behaviors Among Members of Social and Cultural Fraternities and Sororities" (2013). Dissertations. Paper 42.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/diss/42
Comments
The integration of civic engagement learning outcomes into institutional missions has been a core focus of college and university presidents since the beginning of the 21st century. Civic engagement is a core value of fraternities and sororities. However, social organizations sponsor more philanthropic-based projects, whereas cultural organizations promote more hands-on community service projects with a social justice focus. The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in civic engagement behaviors among members of social and cultural fraternities and sororities. The central research question for this study was: Are there significant differences as measured by the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) in civic engagement knowledge, skills, and dispositions among members of social versus cultural fraternities and sororities?
The design for this research was a non-experimental quantitative study based on ex post facto or casual-comparative research. The population for this study consisted of 12,857 participants of the 2009 administration of the MSL who identified as a member of either a social or cultural fraternity or sorority. The scales used for this study were the SRLS Citizenship Scale, Social Change Behaviors Scale, and the Socio-Cultural Discussions Scale. A two-way ANOVA was performed to determine if there were significant differences in mean scores for the three scales based on gender, membership, and the interaction of the variables. Post hoc testing was also conducted to determine effect size of the mean scores and simple effects of the interaction of gender and membership.
The data analysis procedures revealed significant differences in gender and membership type main effects or gender X membership type interaction effects for each question in the SRLS Citizenship Scale, Social Change Behaviors Scale, and the Socio- Cultural Discussions Scale. However, post-hoc testing indicated that gender and membership type were not strong enough predictors of civic engagement behaviors. Additional research should be conducted to determine additional factors that predict civic engagement behaviors among members of social and cultural fraternities and sororities.