Institutional variability in faculty conformity to the norms of science: A force of integration or fragmentation in the academic profession?

Fragmentation in the academic profession derived from differences among academics in different types of colleges and universities suggests a need to identify possible compensatory integrating mechanisms. This study seeks to determine whether faculty conformity to the four norms of science identified by Merton are such integrating mechanisms or whether they are forces of further fragmentation. The 1977 Survey of the American Professorate conducted by Ladd and Lipset was the data source for this study. The results indicate that the norms of universalism and communality serve as a compensatory integrating mechanisms, while the norms of disinterestedness and organized skepticism function as forces of further fragmentation among academics in different types of colleges and universities.