William Sedlacek | University of Maryland, College Park (original) (raw)

Papers by William Sedlacek

An ,anonymous questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of incoming freshmen at t... more An ,anonymous questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of incoming freshmen at the University of Maryland, College Park (N=491; 53 percent male, 47 percent female). Data were comparei with previous surveys at Maryland (Horowitz and Sedlacek, 1973; Fago and Sedlacek, 1974 a,b) nd analyzed by percentages, chi-square, F and Friedman 2-way analysis of variance. Results indicate that more freshmen have tried marijuana than in previous years, but there are fewer regular users. In the most recent year studied, males have a higher incidence of use of marijuana, cocaine, and beer than females, while females report a higher incidence of speed use. City residents reported a higher incidence of drug use, followed by suburban and rural freshmen. Students tended to use drugs to "get high, feel good," and tended not to use drugs because of "no desire to experience its effects." Reasons for use and nonuse were not significantly different across years. Students in the latter two years studie3 were more apt to feel that marijuana should be legalized and to come to the counseling center for help, but they were less likely to attend a drug education program.

Journal of College Student Personnel, 1974

This procedural model includes progressive stages which must be worked through by an individual o... more This procedural model includes progressive stages which must be worked through by an individual or institution in the process of change. These are: (1) Cultural and Racial Differences; (2) Racism and How It Operates; (3) Examining Racial Attitudes; (4) Sources of Racial Attitudes; (5) Behavior; What Should Be Done?; and (6) Behavior; How Should It Be Done? Examples df racism from elementary, secondary and higher education are presented and discussed. The article emphasizes methods for the change agent and raises several points: (1) Anytime a strategy becomes a goal we sow the seeds of institutional discrimination; (2) Goals are temporal and must be adjusted to the context of the times; and (3) The greatest effort should be expended on those goals which most clearly work against racism rather than attempting a "fight to the death" on all issues. Suggested roles for minority and majority group members in fighting racism are made. Questions put to change agents such as "Why are you always so negative?"; "What makes you think you are so right all the time?"; "This is our issue, what the hell do you know about it?" and "Does the end justify the means?" are discussed and answered from the writers' perspective. Discussions of applications of the model to other than black-white situations are also included.

full-time undergraduate students who were 36 to 57 years old were compared to a random sample .of... more full-time undergraduate students who were 36 to 57 years old were compared to a random sample .of younger students aged 18 to 35 years; old on the 1970 University Student Census. an attitude and activities inventory. The older sample of 319 students was 50 pecent male and 50 percent female, while the younger sample of 313 students was 60 percent male and 40 percent female. Subjects were compared on 14 demographic items and 28 Xikert-type attitude items. Older students tanded.to be married and live off-campus and studied more and had more clearly-fixed vocational goals than did Younger students. Older students more often felt that the facmlty and administration cared about students, that student disrupters should be suspended, and that SatumAday classes were acceptable than did younger students. Older students were less in favor of coed housing or an abortion information service. Survey items and response data are included. (SW)

A telephone poll of 91 University of Maryland students was conducted to determine the nature and ... more A telephone poll of 91 University of Maryland students was conducted to determine the nature and extent of their interest in women's studies courses. Results indicated that 86 percent felt there was a need for such ,courses and 57 percent would take such a course. Women (73 percent)-were more interested than men (38 percent) in taking such courses, and Arts and=Sciences students were most interested (65 percent) and.Agriculture students least interested (0 percent). Students were most in t,47,Or of a major in women's studies (54 percent in favor).as opposed to having a separate department of women's studies (58 percent opposed), and 59 percent felt that individual departmehts should offer courses on women. Students were most interested (in descending order) in courses on: Sociology of Women, Psychology of Women, Sex and.Politics, Biology of Women', Women in Literature, History of Women, and Women in Education. Women were more interested in the PsycholOgy of Women than the Sociology of Women, while men were the opposite. Results of this survey suggest that steps ought to be taken at the University of Maryland to implement a women's studies-curriculum. Students surveyed were overwhelmingly in favor of such an undertaking and there are ,large numbers of faculty-members interested and willing to teach courses in some area relevant to their interests and to women's studies& Statistical data are included. (Author/LBH)

A. A sample of, Un iversity 0 MAryland, College Park, undergraduates from 1969 was compared to..o... more A. A sample of, Un iversity 0 MAryland, College Park, undergraduates from 1969 was compared to..one from 1879 on the *type.' of student they considered themselves to be, based.on the CAark-Trove model. Compared to 1969, in 1979 there were fewer Collegiate types (B percent vs. 26 percent),-Morei Academic types (34 percent vs. .20

Female, university student and staff perceptions of rape at the UniverSity of Maryland were exami... more Female, university student and staff perceptions of rape at the UniverSity of Maryland were examined with the aid of an anonymous questionnaire on.attitudes and perceptions of rape. A' randomli selected sample gnonp included 100 female. students and 25 femaleclassi6ed,employees. Results showed A 64% return rate was m achieved despite many follo4-up attempts, and subjects tended either to be enthusiastic or declined to participate. Results showed that 61% of rtspondents felt the University does not provide enough security, and i5%. said they knew someone who was a victim of rape. One-third of the 4imple belie rape victims are brutally treated by police, and over half felt the7enalties'against rape are rarely enforced. However, only 5%.would not call the police if raped hnd 1A would not seek medical help. A 6-item bibliography is. included.

Two hundred sixty-six white freshmen (128 males, 138 fealties) were administered the Situational ... more Two hundred sixty-six white freshmen (128 males, 138 fealties) were administered the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS) to assess their, attitudes toward blacks in a number of personal and social situations. Results of two-way analyses of variance indicated that significant differences occurred by sex and form of the SAS. Differences between the two forms, one that depicted blacks, and the other, which did not mention race, were taken as evidence for a differential reaction to blacks. Regardless of form, mcmen reacted more negatively-than men to situations regarding rape, a magazine salesman, and men loitering on_a corner; men felt more negative about new neighbors, a friend's engagement, and a new member or a social group. On form, regardless of sex, whites reacted most negatively to blacks as new neighbors, and a friend being engaged to a black. Whites tended to react positively to blew" in service roles (Jelling magazia-s. policeman). The interaction of sex and form was not significant. These results, along with previous saaries of freshmen, suggest that whites have had and c)ntinue to hold basically negative attitudes toward blacks, and the pattern of those negative attitude has remained the same for a decade. (Author/LB)

Environmental assessment, which involves examining the perceptions of people in a given environme... more Environmental assessment, which involves examining the perceptions of people in a given environment or social climate (socially agreed upon norms for acceptable behaviors) is one method of placing behavior in context. The University of Maryland, College Park, conducted a student survey in order to examine the social climate through a study of subgroup differences in perceptions of social sanctions as a function of sex and race. Incoming freshmen (N=390, 47% male, 53% female, 80% white, 13% black, and 7% others), completed an anonymous 35-item questionnaire. The questionnaire contained items on contemporary issues, racial concerns, and beliefs. Respondents rated each item on a five-point scale, from strongly positive to strongly negative, according to how they believed most college students felt about persons holding certain values or beliefs. Analyses of results showed that race was significant on 11 of the 35 items; sex was significant on 9 items; and the interaction of race and sex was significant on 2 items. Blacks in the study tended to hold liberal views, while whites tended to be more conservative. Other racial groups had views that fell in between these two groups. Males held more conservative views than females. The findings demonstrate that each subgroup has its own psychosocial norms and expectancies. Attitudes and behavior must continue to be placed in the phenomonological world of the persons involved.

A renewed interest in traditional religious beliefs and values has been noted on college campuses... more A renewed interest in traditional religious beliefs and values has been noted on college campuses. As part of a series on the role of religion in the lives of university students and to assess student beliefs about the nature of God and determine the way in which such beliefs weie held, 254 college fk,shmen were surveyed. Students were categorized'imto one of four rellijous orientations: (1) extrinsic, in which religion is subordinate to self-needs; (2) intrinsic, in which religious attitudes help to determine behavior; (3) indiscriminately pro-religious, in which religion serves an all-encompassing role in meeting self-needsl and (4) indiscriminately anti-religious in which religion is rejected: Most students endorsed traditional concepts of God. Students classified-as intrinsic in religious orientation were more traditional than students classified as extrinsic in religious orientation and did not believe that a person had only hits/her own resources to call upon for assistance. many students clasIsified as indiscriminately anti-religious believed in a personal God or Supreme Being. More. anti-religious students (22%) than those classified in ether orientations Oelieved that a person has only his/her own resources to call on. More students classified as extrinsic bellieved id spiritual forces outside of the individuals, although most bffirmed traditional concepts. (Author/JAC)

In earlier research, Sedlacek and Erooks provided evidence for the validity of a measure of attit... more In earlier research, Sedlacek and Erooks provided evidence for the validity of a measure of attitudes of whites towards blacks. In developing the Situatioltal Attitude Scale (SAS) one of their major methodological points was that an appropriate measure of racial attitudes would provide a racial context to make difficult the psychological withdrawal from the measure. They criticized the conclusion of Rokeach and others that belief in an issue, not race, determines the attitude of one person toward another. One question remaining unanswered was whether the particular method employed in the SAS caused the results of whether the SAS really measured racial attitudes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of beliefs rather than contextual situations on the attitudes of whites toward blacks. Results indicated that whites generally responded the same to a person holding a belief whether a black held the belief or not. The conclusion reached by Sedlacek and Brooks is that a nonracially related belief provides a way for subjects to ignore race in responding. Hence, there is further support for the necessity cf providing a racial context before racial attitudes can be successfully measured. (Author/JM) CULTURAL STUDY CENTER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND The Measurement of Attitudes of Whites Toward Blacks with Certain Beliefs William E. Sedlacek and Glenwood C. Brooks, Jr.

If educators, counselors, and student personnel workers are to provide services to students which... more If educators, counselors, and student personnel workers are to provide services to students which would be perceived positively by various racial groups, an understanding of interracial perceptions and attitudes is extremely important. A study was conducted to examine the current state of interracial attitudes among students at the University of Maryland in College Park, and to determine whether or not th ere have been any changes in interracial attitudes and perceptions among black and white students since the 1970's. An anonymous questionnaire on interracial attitudes was completed by 437 college freshmen. Twelve percent of the sample were black; 88 percent were white. In general, it was found that whites and blacks who had racially isolated backgrounds seemed to have similar interracial attitudes, while blacks who had racially mixed experiences held different attitudes regarding interracial contact. Subjects who had little interracial contact in their pasts tended to report that minorities were treated no differently by the university than were white students. Blacks who had more interracial contact believed that minorities were treated differently by the university than were whites, and these subjects were more likely than racially homogeneous blacks to feel that the university did not foster respect for cultural differences. These findings suggest that intraracial differences may be more variable than interracial differences.

Politics, May 1, 1978

Three forms of the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS), measuring attitudes toward Aborigines, New A... more Three forms of the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS), measuring attitudes toward Aborigines, New Australians and a neutral form, were administered to 314 white Australian university and college students (New Australians are immigrants from non‐English speaking European countries). Data were analysed, using fixed effects analysis of variance at .05 and Scheffe post hoc tests at .10. Results showed that white Australian students have a positive bias in favour of both Aborigines and New Australians, although they were more negative toward New Australians. The results support the general hypothesis that the more culturally visible the minority group, the more likely the group is to be perceived unfavourably by the majority culture. Results are discussed in terms of similar findings in Denmark and Japan.

NACADA Journal, Sep 1, 1994

In academic advising, as in other areas of scholarship, we regularly face the question: Should we... more In academic advising, as in other areas of scholarship, we regularly face the question: Should we expand and develop existing models or theories, or d o we need completely (or apparently) new conceptions to deal with new ideas and information? This entire issue of the Journal attempts to answer that question. This article attempts to answer a subquestion: Can we use the models of Crookston and O'Banion to successfully advise nontraditional students, or must we develop new models? Here nontraditional students are defined as those who have not had the typical experiences of White, middle and upper middle class males in the U.S. (see Sedlacek, 1993). Scientists and practitioners alike have a tendency to reinvent and relabel whenever new information 1s presented. This has the advantage of allowing us to focus on newer issues (e.g., nontraditional students) and to stress their importance. For example, Helms (1990) has generated some important ideas on how the racial identities of "visible racialiethnic groups" develop. She feels that one moves through stages of denial, confrontation with one's identity, immersion in issues related to one's group, eventual ernenion, and acceptance of the realities of being a member of a particular raciallcultural group. Sedlacek (1993) has shown thdt noncognitive variable? are useful indicators of academic success for nontraditional students. Making positive and accurate self-assessments, handling racism, setting goals, havinga supportive community and individual mentors, showing leadership, and learning from nonacaderr~ic experiences have all been shown to relate to the academic success of nontraditional students. Both the Helms (1990) and Sedlacek (1991, 1993) approaches seem to provide useful information for academic advisors. However, must we abandon the earlier work of Crookston and O'Banion, or can we build on it? Crookston's Model Crookston proposed a developmental view of advising that requires a great deal of interaction, negotiation, collaboration, and trust to succeed. These all seem compatible with the ideas of Helms

Physical impediments are not the only possible obstacles for handicapped students; they also must... more Physical impediments are not the only possible obstacles for handicapped students; they also must deal with the attitudes of their fellow students. To assess the attitudes of college students toward physically disabled students, 224 undergraoaates completed the Situational Attitude Scale-Handicapped (SAS-H). Results showed that, in general, students had negative attitudes toward people who were blind or in wheelchairs in situations where close personal contact was required, such as dating or marriage, but were more neutral or positive in less intimate situations such as employment or receiving help in a library. Students were more comfortable having close personal contact with students in a wheelchair than with blind students in academic situations, such as receiving help with classwork. The findings suggest that prejudice toward and stereotypes of disabled persons can be reduced by recognizing that potential differences in reactions by situation and disability exist. (Author/JAC)

Problems with current predictors of success for graduate students (Graduate Record Examinations a... more Problems with current predictors of success for graduate students (Graduate Record Examinations and grades) include restriction of range artifacts, grade inflation, and the increasing diversity of examinees. A case is made as to why noncognitive variables can add to the validity of selecting graduate students. Legal, moral, ethical, and statistical arguments are presented and discussed. Key points made in the report include the lack of logic in reflecting diversity with a single measure and the necessity of including a range of measures to be fair to all applicants. (Contains 1 table and 55 references.) (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Identifying the variables which influence student attitudes, perceptions, and behavior patterns i... more Identifying the variables which influence student attitudes, perceptions, and behavior patterns in regard to religion, sex, and alcohol has been a major source of investigation. To determine the dimensions underlying the relationship among religion, sex, alcohol use, and alcohol knowledge among university students, 376 University of Maryland students (52% males, 48% females) completed an anonymous questionnaire on the subject. Principal components factor analyses identified eight factors which represented the ways students organized their perceptions of the areas studied. The factors were: personal sexual code, dogmatism, dualism, religiosity, alcohol information, alcohol consumption and sex, alcoholism, parental drinking behavior, and conservatism. An analysis of the results showed that men and women differed on three factors (personal sexual code, dogmatism, and alcohol information). While women were less likely than men to be dualistic or dogmatic in their approach to religion, sex, or alcohol, they were also more likely to support a double standard, feeling that sexual intimacy for women should be based on love, but accepting that men base sex on mutual attraction. Additionally, women did not see a link between sexual satisfaction and alcohol consumption as men did. Women also were less likely to feel that virginity is strange or that homosexuals need help. These results suggest that men may feel different pressures to adjust to their sexuality. Thus, programming which is unique to the problems and adjustment of each sex may be more beneficial. (BL)

Journal of College Student Personnel, 1974

Politics, May 1, 1978

NACADA Journal, Sep 1, 1994