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

Academic disciplines with soft paradigmatic development tend to have a n affinity for more readily enacting practices designed to improve und ergraduate education than do hard paradigmatic development disciplines . This study extends the affinity discipline hypothesis to Chickering and Gamson's seven principles of good practice. The affinity disciplin e hypothesis garners empirical support for four of the seven principle s of good practice: encouragement of faculty-student contact, encourag ement of active learning, communication of high expectations, and resp ect for diverse talents and ways of knowing. Implications for theory a nd practice are suggested by the findings of this study.