Academic entitlement, consumerism, and professional preference
Abstract
The goal of the current study was to examine whether perception of professor
accommodations and trait entitlement affected student ratings of a professor’s overall
likability and perceived rigor. Participants were randomly assigned to read a syllabus
ostensibly written by a non-likeable professor who adopted consumerist conforming and
accommodating rules or by a likeable professor who did not adopt consumerist
conforming and accommodating rules. Participants then evaluated the professor on
likability and perceived rigor, and completed measures of academic, academic
consumerist, and generalized entitlement. First, analyses replicated previous results
indicating a relationship between generalized entitlement and academic entitlement.
Additionally, academic entitlement was found to be highly related to academic
consumerist entitlement. Second, results indicated that participants liked professors who
were more consumerist conforming and accommodating even when the professor was
‘meaner’ and had a less likable demeanor. Lastly, it was found that academic entitlement
was negatively correlated with how likable participants found professors to be, even after
controlling for which condition participants were in. Implications of the findings are
discussed with regard to how entitlement and consumerist attitudes might affect college
education and faculty.
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/76948Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science in Psychology Cognitive & Affective Science