ANTECEDENTS TO EMPOWERMENT - A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

In the geographical literature very little attention has been given to the perceptions, aspirations or cognitive state of new undergraduate students. This paper addresses the issue of antecedents to empowerment , the contention being that empowerment and strident autonomy correlat e strongly with self-confidence and that this needs to be enhanced thr ough the acquisition of enabling skills. Analysis of a questionnaire s urvey suggests that many students are enthusiastic, well motivated, ke en to do well and aware of the importance of developing their skills. Others lack self-confidence and are ambivalent about becoming autonomo us individuals, showing a marked disinclination towards participatory decision-making and independent learning. A gender bias is revealed wi th females, 73 per cent of whom were under 21 years of age, significan tly less confident than males, yet more likely to prioritise a need to become more autonomous.