Faculty Perceptions of their Disciplinary Cultures
Re-Evaluating Biglan’s Dimensions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21751977 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Stephen C Hiller (0000-0003-4073-1740, Indiana University Bloomington, corresponding author), Emily Braught (0009-0007-4600-2916, Indiana University Indianapolis), Thomas F Nelson Laird (0000-0002-5065-258X), Thomas Nelson Laird (Indiana University Bloomington), Allison Brckalorenz (0000-0002-1482-6554, Indiana University Bloomington) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Research in Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1573-188X • E-ISSN: 0361-0365 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11162-025-09875-1 |
| OpenAlex | W7118469369 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 24 |
For fifty years, the Biglan dimensions have been frequently relied on by researchers interested in considering disciplinary differences as parts of their studies; however, applying a cultural lens draws attention to the possibility that over time, disciplinary cultures may have changed. This exploratory study examined faculty perceptions of their disciplinary cultures by adding an item set derived from common definitions and descriptors of Biglan’s dimensions onto the 2022 Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE). For 680 faculty at four-year colleges and universities, across 98 disciplines, results indicated that our items formed three scales of disciplinary cultures – Consensus, Pure Scholarship, and Life Systems – that align with Biglan’s dimensions. Faculty perceptions of their disciplinary cultures showed considerable variation across all three scales and disciplinary means and clusters do not necessarily align with how disciplines would be categorized using the Biglan dimensions. Our findings suggest the possibility that the cultures of some disciplines have evolved and that scholars should exercise caution in how they interpret dichotomous or categorical applications of Biglan’s dimensions to understanding faculty work
Categorical variable · Discipline · Exploratory research · Higher education · Perception · Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions · Evaluation of Teaching Practices · Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration
Relationships between subject matter characteristics and the structure and output of university departments.
The characteristics of subject matter in different academic areas.
The Effects of Discipline on Deep Approaches to Student Learning and College Outcomes
The reliability of a two-item scale
Silhouettes
Faculty Service Loads and Gender
Selectivity and Rigor in Research Universities
The Biglan classification revisited
The surprising persistence of Biglan's classification scheme
Depicting and researching disciplines
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |