How Advocacy Messages Influence Support for “Ban the Box” in College Admissions

Toby Bolsen, Judd Thornton, Peter Lindsay, Michelle Barrios, Shaeleigh Henrey, Liyaah Rocha and Myla Williams

Social Science Quarterly, 2025, vol. 106, issue 2

Abstract: Objectives This paper examines public attitudes toward the “Ban the Box” policy in college admissions in Georgia. It investigates how exposure to framed messages affects support for or opposition to the policy, focusing on its potential impact on campus safety and overall effects. Methods The data are from independent survey experiments conducted on two samples: undergraduate students at a USG institution (n = 587) and adult residents in Georgia (n = 500). Participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: control, support banning the box message, oppose banning the box message, or mixed/competitive frame message. Results Participants exposed to supportive messages showed increased support, while those exposed to opposing messages showed decreased support. Competitive framing had mixed effects, with no significant difference from the control group in the adult sample. Overall, positive advocacy frames counteracted the negative impact of oppositional messages. Conclusions The study highlights the importance of framing in shaping public opinion on banning the box policies in college admissions. Both supportive and oppositional frames effectively sway attitudes, indicating the complexity of public perception on this issue. Further research is needed to explore the persistence of framing effects and their implications in policy debates.

Date: 2025
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