The Peter Effect Revisited: Reading Habits and Attitudes of College Students

Abstract

Certainly a primary goal of literacy education is the creation of avid, enthusiastic, and highly motivated readers. However, in this article revisiting the Peter Effect (Applegate & Applegate, 2004), researchers surveyed more than 1,000 college sophomores and found strikingly low levels of enthusiasm for reading. Only 46.6% of surveyed students could be classified as Enthusiastic readers, and only 5.7% could be classified as Engaged and Avid readers. Thus, it appears that the Peter Effect still persists. The authors investigated the reading attitudes of college students, particularly those aspiring to be teachers, and found that 48.9% of teachers will be called on to inspire their students with a love of reading that they do not have. Finally, implications reveal that teacher educators must address the importance of enthusiasm for reading if teachers are to transcend their literacy dispositions to create positive impacts on their future students.