The influence of altercasting on fraternity members' voting habits and knowledge of current events
Abstract
Membership in an organization influences member behavior and collegiate social fraternities are no exception. The methods used to influence members as well as the outcomes of the influence can vary greatly. This research project looks at the influence of altercasting in relation to membership in a collegiate social fraternity. Altercasting is a theory which relies on the concept of persuasion, and was first introduced by Eugene A. Weinstein and Paul Deutschberger in 1963. Many studies exist on the influence of fraternity membership on members, yet little research has been conducted specific to this theory. The research was done through an analysis of secondary data from the Center for Learning Outcomes Assessment's (CLOA) study of five national fraternities. Participants in the study completed CLOA's University Learning Outcomes Assessment (UniLOA). The UniLOA is a standardized assessment instrument measuring behaviors consistent with seven distinct domains. Three hypotheses related to the influence of altercasting among fraternity members were addressed in this study with particular emphasis on leadership, knowledge of current events, the likelihood of volunteering, hours spent volunteering, understanding of the political process, usage of media, and self-reporting of voting. Research findings support that the influence of altercasting does exist among fraternity members in each of these areas with the exception of hours spent volunteering.
Degree
M.A.
Thesis Department
Rights
OpenAccess.
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