A Cross-Demographic Analysis of Anti-Intellectualism Among First-Year College Students

Anti-intellectualism, as conceptualized through Hofstadter’s typology, poses a significant challenge to higher education’s mission of cultivating critical inquiry, reflective judgment, and intellectual openness. This study examined the dimensions and levels of anti-intellectualism among first-year college students at the University of San Jose-Recoletos and explored demographic variations across sex, IQ level, and academic school. Using a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design, the study assessed religious anti-rationalism, populist anti-elitism, and unreflective instrumentalism among respondents. Findings revealed a predominant trend of moderate anti-intellectualism across all measured dimensions, suggesting a widespread cultural and cognitive inclination toward practical utility over abstract inquiry. Notably, heightened religious anti-rationalism was observed among students with higher IQ scores and those within technical disciplines like Engineering, while unreflective instrumentalism also appeared more pronounced in technical tracks. Female respondents also showed relatively stronger expressions of populist anti-elitism. These patterns suggest that even high-achieving students may compartmentalize academic rigor from philosophical or religious beliefs, often favoring a utilitarian view of education. Additionally, anti-intellectual orientations may persist even among academically capable learners and across professional disciplines traditionally associated with analytical thinking. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening critical thinking, intellectual humility, reflective learning, and interdisciplinary dialogue within higher education curricula, particularly in general education and theology courses. By illuminating how anti-intellectual tendencies manifest among Filipino college students, this study contributes to ongoing discussions on intellectual development, democratic engagement, and the role of Philippine higher education institutions in fostering a more critically reflective academic culture.