Stavrova O, Ehlebracht D. Education as an Antidote to Cynicism: A Longitudinal Investigation.
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2018;
9:59-69. [PMID:
29387311 PMCID:
PMC5753841 DOI:
10.1177/1948550617699255]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although cynical beliefs about human nature yield numerous adverse consequences for individuals' life outcomes and well-being, very little is known about factors that counteract the development of cynical beliefs. Drawing from the literature on the "education effect" describing the importance of education in overcoming close-mindedness and negative views of others, we propose that education can represent an antidote to cynicism. The results of two large-scale longitudinal studies showed that education was associated with lower levels of cynicism over time spans of 4 and 9 years. Longitudinal mediation analyses underscored the role of individual differences in perceived constraints, a facet of personal control, as the psychological mechanism underlying the education effect: Higher education is associated with a reduced perception of constraints, which is in turn related to less endorsement of cynical beliefs.
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