Benny Rigsbee English 1102 3/13/14 Literature Review

Literature Review: Terms: Pledge Process: This is the period during pledging when the newly inducted members or pledges learn the traditions and are educated on the information and history of the fraternity. Cognitive Development: This can be defined mostly as the progressive development of the ability to think and learn. Moral Development: Moral Development is thought to be the process through which a child develops proper attitudes or behaviours towards the other people in the society, based on various things such social and cultural norms, laws and rules. Hazing: Hazing is a very controversial topic among the Greek world on a college campus in modern day society. Finkel helps to define hazing as the imposition of strenuous, often humiliating, tasks as part of a program of rigorous physical training and initiation. These activities can include verbal and physical humiliation, paddling, calisthenics, etc. Cognitive Development: Pike and Pascarella both seem to basically have the same viewpoint on the matter of cognitive development. They both see eye to eye when it comes to the conversation that Greek affiliation hinders men in their cognitive growth and learning in college. What is also mentioned is that this mainly only happens to men in a fraternity during their freshman year at the university. For example, Pascarella states, This negative impact was in the conventional wisdom area. Men in their first years of college who belonged to a fraternity made significantly lower scores in reading comprehension and mathematics. Keeping that in mind, these slower gains ceased after most fraternity mens freshman year. The negative impacts on their cognitive development also came to a halt (23). Once they were sophomores their grades in the same exact

Benny Rigsbee English 1102 3/13/14 Literature Review areas were indistinguishable from those of other men who were not Greek affiliates (23). In one study that was conducted Pike discovered that Greek freshmen reported greater gains in interpersonal development than independents did (119). Positive Influences and Growth Among Fraternity Members: In the first observation that I conducted among the fraternity members in the house including myself I noticed that there were several positive aspects between people in the house. For example, when there was no vacuum cleaner for us to use in the house, we came together and devised a plan to get one to use. I feel that that is a strong positive influence among friends and brothers. Also it demonstrates how we build off of each other and make valiant conjoint efforts when we come together as one. Not to mention, Kiesling and Hebert have some input on the situation also. Kiesling explains the ideology in the Fraternity, which focuses greatly on how a man presents himself within the fraternity. Which in other words is referring to ones identity and how it develops. In Keislings Data and Analysis section he describes some of his fellow brothers interactions and conversations in the fraternity chapter meeting. He explains how when the men present their statements they are more reserved and constrained in their manner because they are in a business sphere (373). This goes along the lines with what Hebert is trying to say. The point the Hebert is trying to get across is that, Fraternities provide members with experiences to develop mature interpersonal relationships, learn leadership skills, become involved in community service, benefit from healthy psychosocial development, and enjoy a psychological sense of community, (27). Also that people who choose to go Greek in college are less likely to be lonely and isolated and more likely to stay in college. This is because the fraternity mandates support systems for these young men to meet academic standards (27). These are just some of the few positive influences that the Greek life can offer a student in a university.

Benny Rigsbee English 1102 3/13/14 Literature Review Alcohol Use and Social Influences: Greek organizations have underwent much criticism along the lines of alcohol use and social influences in the current media. Capone and Larimer both advocate for this and go into greater detail about how it is affecting Greek involvement as a whole. In the results of one of the studies conducted in Capones article it says that it was found that Greek affiliated people came into college as heavier drinkers (Capone). Although in my personal opinion I think that this is a misperception that people have when associating drinking with fraternities. Larimer begins by saying that Greek letter organizations at the universities are at an even greater risk than the rest of the student population. This leads into the topic that drinking among fraternities is much more common and at a higher risk than the rest of the students. By using these campus wide general norms it is ineffective toward the Greek students who already set themselves apart and are different than the others. Injunctive norms have been suggested to be most influential within close social networks with high group identity (Trafimow & Finlay, 1996), characteristics common to Greek organizations, (204). The study that is discussed in Larimer and Turners article was designed to evaluate the overall and relative influence of descriptive and injunctive norms on alcohol use and alcohol problems among Greek-affiliated university students., (208). One main limitation that still exists in this situation is that all of the information and research was self reported which means that it is very susceptible to be biased. This can be the case with many studies, where the information is actually self reported and not necessarily factual. Larimer and Capone do an efficient job at dissecting the alcohol use and social influences among Greek life members in fraternities. This provides us with insight to the Greek community that is essential. Identity: Identity is a common area of conversation within the society, and especially within the fraternity. During peoples entire lives they travel along their own unique path of self

Benny Rigsbee English 1102 3/13/14 Literature Review realization to discover their true identity and who they really are. Keisling and I help define and explain identity in the fraternity and university setting. Kiesling (2002) starts in his article by discussing mens identities within the fraternity and how they come into their own identities, whether they are pushed into it or create it themselves. He also mentions the ideology in the fraternity, which focuses greatly on how a man presents himself within the fraternity. This can help structure a man and form his identity by giving him simple yet compelling guidelines to follow. In my personal observation of my fraternity house, I mention things along the lines of this. In the fraternity house everyone is themselves, and the rules are much less strict than in a chapter or formal setting. This shows us how the members behave inside and outside the fraternity house, which are all certain attributes of his identity. My observation shows all of our true identities when we are in the fraternity house cause we are all always acting like ourselves and arent trying to conceal anything or impress anyone.