USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

Sean Ericson

First Advisor

James P. McHale, Ph.D. Department Chair, College of Arts and Sciences

Second Advisor

Christina L. Salnaitis Ph.D. Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences

Publisher

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Document Type

Thesis

Date Available

May 2013

Publication Date

2013

Date Issued

April 2013

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore variables related to intent to study abroad in an effort to aid attempts by universities to internationalize. The personality variables of subjective social status and intolerance of ambiguity were considered. This is the first time subjective social status has been considered in research on intent to study abroad, and helps to answer the question of how students are affected by divergent social positions. Participants included 167 undergraduate students from a large American public university. Three scales were administered measuring intent to study abroad, subjective social status, and intolerance of ambiguity. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze data. Results do not support subjective social status as a predictor of intent to study abroad, however intolerance of ambiguity was found to be associated with intent to study abroad. Recommendations were made as to how educational institutions can account for these results and increase participation in study abroad programs. Although findings relating to subjective social status were not statistically significant in this study, it is suggested that future research consider the impact that related socio-economic and demographic variables have on intent to study abroad.

Comments

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University Honors Program, University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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