Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Rhea Myerscough

Second Advisor

Robert Padgett

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to see if college students who perceive their political beliefs to be in the minority on campus will be less likely to express their political opinions in a hyperpolarized environment. This was done by fielding an original study to collect quantitative data from college students, mainly in the Midwest. The survey measured students’ perceptions of their campus political climate, student comfort expressing their own political opinions, and the frequency with which they self-censor their political opinions. I found that perceiving one’s political views to be in the minority on campus was associated with a statistically significant increase in discomfort sharing views and self-censorship. However, multivariate analyses demonstrate that this relationship is driven by partisan identity. Identifying as a Republican is also associated with a statistically significant increase in discomfort sharing political views and self-censorship. When partisan identity is included in the analysis, the relationship between political perceptions and self-censorship disappears, suggesting that the Republican students perceive themselves to be in the minority more than their Democratic counterparts.

Download

Share

COinS