New Evidence on the Effects of Fraternity and Sorority Affiliation During the First Year of College
Abstract
We explored the effects of fraternity and sorority membership on first-year students’ development across various liberal arts educational outcomes at 11 institutions. Although many educators perceive fraternities and sororities as anti-intellectual organizations, fraternity and sorority members in this study did not differ from their unaffiliated peers on the educational outcomes explored.
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Martin, Hevel, Asel, and Pascarella (2011) found no significant differences between fraternity/sorority members and their nonaffiliated peers on critical thinking during the first year of college.
“Recently, using data from the Wabash National Study on Liberal Arts Education, Martin, Hevel, Asel, and Pascarella (2011) found no significant differences between fraternity/sorority members and their nonaffiliated peers on critical thinking during the first year of college.”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Martin, Hevel, Asel, and Pascarella, 2011
With the exception of Pascarella, Edison, et al. (1996), Pascarella et al. (2001), Martin et al. (2011), Pike (2003), and DeBard and Sacks (2011), most researchers exploring the educational effects of fraternal membership did so in single-institution contexts and/or employed a cross-sectional approach.
“With the exception of Pascarella, Edison, et al. (1996), Pascarella et al. (2001), Martin et al. (2011), Pike (2003), and DeBard and Sacks (2011), most researchers exploring the educational effects of fraternal membership did so in single-institution contexts and/or employed a cross-sectional approach.”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Martin et al. (2011)
Some researchers suggested that members of fraternal organizations may engage in higher levels of unethical behaviors (e.g., academic dishonesty) than nonmembers.
“Furthermore, some researchers have suggested that members of fraternal organizations may engage in higher levels of unethical behaviors (e.g., academic dishonesty) than do nonmembers (Martin et al., 2011;McCabe & Bowers, 1996).”
From Declining Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life: a Comparison of Perceptions of Greek-lettered Organizations Between Affiliated and Non-affiliated Students (2025) · cites this paper as Martin et al., 2011
Members of the anti-fraternal movement mention self-segregation as another reason why students choose not to join.
“Members of the anti-fraternal movement also mention self-segregation as another reason why students choose not to join (Martin et al., 2011).”
From Declining Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life: a Comparison of Perceptions of Greek-lettered Organizations Between Affiliated and Non-affiliated Students (2025) · cites this paper as Martin et al., 2011
Members of fraternal organizations demonstrated lower levels of critical thinking or persistence in literacy when compared to nonmembers.
“In a study conducted by Martin et al. (2011), members of fraternal organizations demonstrated lower levels of critical thinking or persistence in literacy when compared to nonmembers.”
From Declining Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life: a Comparison of Perceptions of Greek-lettered Organizations Between Affiliated and Non-affiliated Students (2025) · cites this paper as Martin et al. (2011)
The finding that affiliated participants were less concerned about poor academic/anti-intellectual attitudes supports previous research indicating that involvement in a Greek-lettered organization contributes to poor academics and anti-intellectual attitudes.
“The respondents' results about perceptions concerning poor academic attitudes supports research that has indicated that involvement in a Greek-lettered organization contributes to poor academics and anti-intellectual attitudes.”
From Declining Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life: a Comparison of Perceptions of Greek-lettered Organizations Between Affiliated and Non-affiliated Students (2025) · cites this paper as Martin et al., 2011
The finding that affiliated participants were less concerned about lack of values supports previous findings that fraternities and sororities are incompatible with higher education goals and evidence that members engage in higher levels of unethical behaviors.
“This result supports not only previous findings about underlying assumptions that fraternities and sororities are presumably incompatible with greater goals of higher education and ideas of academia but also evidence that members of fraternal organizations typically engage in higher levels of unethical behaviors than do nonmembers (Maisel, 1990;Martin et al., 2011;McCabe & Bowers, 1996).”
From Declining Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life: a Comparison of Perceptions of Greek-lettered Organizations Between Affiliated and Non-affiliated Students (2025) · cites this paper as Martin et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Martin, G. L., Hevel, M. S., Asel, A. M., & Pascarella, E. T.
- ORCID
- Hevel, Michael S.
- Venue
- Journal of College Student Development
- Publisher
- Project MUSE
- Published
- 2011-09
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 543-559
- ISSN
- 0897-5264 (ISSN-L)
- 1543-3382
- OpenAlex
- W2127909600
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 23.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of college student development (publishedVersion)
- Project Muse (Johns Hopkins University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
- Keywords
- fraternities and sororities, first-year college students, educational outcomes, academic performance, student development, student organizations, liberal arts education
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