The importance of moral fit to expectations of academic and professional wellbeing

TL;DR

This paper shows that when students feel their morals align with their education, they expect better academic and professional outcomes.

Contribution

The study introduces moral fit as a new factor influencing students' expectations and engagement in higher education.

Findings

Students associate moral fit with more positive academic expectations.

Moral alignment in course descriptions increases interest and expected outcomes.

Moral fit influences both social and professional outcome expectations.

Abstract

What impact does moral fit have on expectations and engagement in higher education? We conducted two studies with college and university students in the U.S. In Study 1 (N = 151), we manipulated the moral fit of a hypothetical student, assessing its impact on anticipated academic, social, and professional outcomes. Study 2 (N = 201) involved manipulating moral values within a course description to investigate whether alignment with participants’ values influenced their interest in the course and expected outcomes. Both studies demonstrate that students are aware of moral fit in higher education, associating it with more positive expectations.