Investigating Scientific Attitudes among High School Students: Rural-Urban Disparities

Abstract

This study examined rural–urban differences in scientific attitudes among high school students in the Warangal district, Telangana. A descriptive survey design was used to collect data from 170 students selected from ten secondary schools, with equal representation from rural and urban settings, comprising 85 students in each group. Scientific attitude was measured using a 24-item scale assessing eight dimensions: objective approach, cause-and-effect relationships, systematic reflection on action, scientific knowledge, curiosity, suspended judgement, critiques of knowledge, and awareness of surroundings. Descriptive statistics and an independent-samples t-test were used to compare the two groups at the 0.05 significance level. Urban students obtained higher mean scores in all eight dimensions. Statistically significant differences favoured urban students in objective approach, cause-and-effect relationships, scientific knowledge, curiosity, critiques of knowledge, and awareness of surroundings. Differences in systematic reflection on action and suspended judgement were not statistically significant. The findings indicate that rural–urban disparities were evident in several dimensions of scientific attitude, whereas reflective thinking and the capacity to withhold judgement were broadly comparable across the two groups. These differences may be associated with variations in educational opportunities, science-learning resources, classroom experiences, and exposure to science-related activities rather than locality alone. Strengthening equitable access to supportive science-learning environments may help reduce the observed disparities.