AFFINITY DISCIPLINES AND THE USE OF PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Academic disciplines with soft paradigmaticdevelopment tend to have an affinity for more readilyenacting practices designed to improve undergraduateeducation than do hard paradigmatic developmentdisciplines. This study extends the affinity disciplinehypothesis to Chickering and Gamson's seven principlesof good practice. The affinity discipline hypothesisgarners empirical support for four of the sevenprinciples of good practice: encouragement offaculty-student contact, encouragement of activelearning, communication of high expectations, andrespect for diverse talents and ways of knowing.Implications for theory and practice are suggested by the findings ofthis study.