The Impact of Introductory Economics on Student Perceptions of Income Distribution

Abstract

There appears to be a growing interest in studies that measure the effects of economics instruction on student attitudes and opinions. Sosin and McConnell have developed an instrument to test student attitudes toward income distribution. The test was administered to control and experimental groups at the University of Nebraska. The results show significant changes on the part of the treatment group (students studying principles of economics) but no statistically significant changes on the part of the control group (students in a human geography course). Using a multiple regression model, the authors also considered such variables as sex, race, marital status, age, occupational and income status of parents, student's employment situation, and cumulative grade point average.