Experiencing the Unexpected: Toward a Model of College Diversity Experiences and Attitude Change

Although numerous studies have examined the relationship between college diversity experiences and student outcomes, very little attention has been paid to the mechanism(s) underlying this development. This paper proposes a model of the psychological process through which college diversity experiences affect student attitudes and examines that model empirically using a sample of 387 students who completed service-learning courses. Structural equation modeling analyses indicate that diversity interactions are associated with “experiencing the unexpected,” which then contributes both to a subjective sense of belief challenge and to attitude change. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.