Is More Always Better? The Curvilinear Relationship Between College Student Experiences and Outcomes

• In Event: Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: Validity and Measurement Issues in Student Learning and Development Research

Abstract

Many higher education studies have examined the linear relationship between college experiences and student outcomes, but this assumption of linearity may be incorrect. In two notable examples, research that assumes a linear relationship leads to different substantive conclusions and implications than research that explores non-linear associations among the same constructs. We argue that many relationships between a wide variety of college experiences and outcomes may be curvilinear. This study explores that possibility using various college experiences and outcomes within a large, multi-institutional, longitudinal dataset. As expected, most of the significant main effects were attenuated by significant curvilinear associations, such that the magnitude of the relationship decreased with higher levels of involvement. Implications for research, assessment, and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Nicholas A. Bowman, University of Iowa

• Teniell L. Trolian, University of Iowa

• Cindy Ann Kilgo, University of Iowa