Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention

Differences in the "Inclusion Need Orientation" of Students from a Historically Black University Versus Predominantely White Institutions

Kathleen Gurley

Ann Herd

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v17i1.2712

Keywords: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Maryland, black, Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO), inclusion, academic success, Schutz

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Abstract

The importance of inclusion and social adjustment within the college or university setting have been well documented by studies on student retention. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in "inclusion need orientation" between students at three different universities--a historically Black university (HBCU) and two predominantly White institutions (PWI). Students at the HBCU had significantly lower scores than the students at the PWIs on "expressed and wanted inclusion" using Schutz's FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation) instrument. Lower scores on expressed inclusion need suggest that students at the HBCU feel less comfortable asking others to join them in activities than students at the PWIs, while lower scores on wanted inclusion need sugges that students at the HBCU have less desire to be invited to join activities than students at the PWIs. Implications of these findings are discussed.