Students perceived as lower-SES take up less space in campus public spaces¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r1 · q2 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i2 Perceived SES predicted how much space students used in public campus spaces, with lower-SES students rated as using less space (η2 = .08). → Bart-Plange 2025

Evidence¶

Bart-Plange 2025¶

Bart-Plange, D.-J., Henderson, K., Hoffman, K., & Trawalter, S. (2025). Critiquing and Reimagining Belonging in Public Spaces in Higher Education. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10061-z

q2 · i2 · associational · r1

In an observational study, eight research assistants coded demographics and space use (7-point scale) of 388 individuals in iconic campus spaces including the Lawn, amphitheater, and library. Perceived SES predicted space use, η2 = .08; perceived race and gender did not predict use of space, |ts| < 1, ps > .60.

"Results revealed a main effect of perceived SES on use of space, B = .33, t (382) = 5.77, p < .0001, η2 = .08, 95% CI [.04, .14], such that students perceived as lower-SES students were rated as using less space than students perceived as higher-SES."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Randomly assigned use of public space significantly reduced the SES gap in belonging, but the race-by-condition interaction was not significant — related
• Lower-SES students feel less comfortable behaving counter-normatively in public campus spaces but not in private spaces — related
• Lower-SES and racially minoritized students use less campus space and fewer public spaces, which is associated with lower belonging — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Campus symbols such as antebellum architecture signal belonging to White and high-SES students and unwelcomeness to marginalized students — related