Introduction: Academic reading constitutes a foundational yet increasingly contested dimension of university success. Although it is frequently framed as an individual cognitive competency, this study argues that academic reading is fundamentally a social practice—deeply situated within and shaped by students’ socio-structural contexts. Employing Bourdieu’s theory of capital, this research addresses a notable gap in the existing literature by transcending isolated psychological or pedagogical accounts. Instead, it systematically examines how cultural, social, and economic capital, in conjunction with gender, collectively shape university students’ attitudes toward academic reading. Despite the recognized importance of reading attitudes for academic persistence and comprehension, the simultaneous and integrative examination of their sociological determinants—particularly within the context of Iranian higher education—remains largely underexplored. Accordingly, this study seeks to address five key research questions: (1) What is the relationship between cultural capital and attitudes toward academic reading? (2) How is social capital associated with such attitudes? (3) What is the nature of the relationship between economic capital and academic reading attitudes? (4) Is there a significant gender-based difference in these attitudes? and (5) To what extent do these four variables collectively predict students’ attitudes toward academic reading?
Methods: This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. The target population consisted of all undergraduate students (N = 8,809) enrolled at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran, during the 2022 academic year. A stratified proportional random sample of 375 students was selected using Cochran’s formula. Data were collected using four validated and reliable instruments: (a) Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Questionnaire (23 items, α = 0.84), which measured embodied, objectified, and institutionalized dimensions; (b) a Social Capital Questionnaire (20 items, α = 0.84), assessing social participation, trust, and cohesion; (c) an Economic Capital Index (3 items, α = 0.80), measuring family income and asset value; and (d) the Isakson Survey of Academic Reading Attitudes (ISARA, 20 items, α = 0.77–0.84), measuring academic reading behavior, self-efficacy, and valuation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation (and point-biserial correlation for gender), and multiple linear regression analysis were employed following the confirmation of assumptions of normality, linearity, and multicollinearity.
Findings: The findings revealed significant positive correlations among all three forms of capital and attitudes toward academic reading. Social capital demonstrated the strongest correlation (r = 0.255, p < 0.01), followed by cultural capital (r = 0.187, p < 0.01), and economic capital (r = 0.116, p < 0.05). A one-way ANOVA further indicated a significant gender difference, with female students exhibiting more favorable attitudes toward academic reading than their male counterparts (F(1,373) = 4.209, p = 0.041). The multiple regression model was statistically significant (F(4,370) = 9.448, p < 0.001), accounting for 9.3% of the variance in academic reading attitudes (R² = 0.093). Notably, the standardized coefficients revealed that social capital (β = 0.228, p < 0.001) and cultural capital (β = 0.126, p = 0.014) were the only significant unique predictors of positive academic reading attitudes. In contrast, economic capital (β = 0.090, p = 0.223) and gender (β = 0.083, p = 0.083) did not yield significant unique predictive effects when all variables were considered simultaneously, despite their significant bivariate correlations.
Discussion and Conclusion: The results validate the core theoretical proposition that attitudes toward academic reading are not solely a matter of individual predisposition but are significantly constituted by students’ socio-cultural resources. The predominant influence of social capital indicates that peer networks, academic communities, and supportive interpersonal interactions are of paramount importance; students embedded in such networks come to internalize academic reading as a collectively valued and shared norm. The significant, albeit comparatively weaker, role of cultural capital confirms that family-based cultural resources—including access to books, parental educational background, and cultural practices—foster a foundational orientation toward academic engagement. Notably, although economic capital and gender exhibited initial bivariate correlations, their lack of statistical significance in the regression model implies that their effects are largely indirect or mediated by cultural and social factors. In particular, economic resources may enable access to educational opportunities but do not, in the absence of a supportive cultural framework, suffice to ensure a positive academic reading attitude. Similarly, gender differences in this domain may be more adequately explained by differential patterns of socialization than by any inherent or essential trait. Accordingly, academic reading ought to be conceptualized not merely as a cognitive or pedagogical process, but as a practice shaped by students’ socio-cultural biographies. Students endowed with higher levels of cultural and social capital tend to perceive academic reading as integral to their scholarly identity, whereas those lacking such capital are more likely to exhibit reduced motivation and lower-quality academic engagement. In light of these findings, it is recommended that universities actively cultivate cultural and social capital by implementing participatory cultural programs, fostering enhanced social interactions, and offering targeted support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The originality of this study resides in its interdisciplinary integration of Bourdieusian sociology with information science, offering the first empirical model within the Iranian academic context that simultaneously tests these determinants. The primary implication of this study is that enhancing academic reading attitudes necessitates that universities move beyond skill-oriented interventions. Rather than focusing solely on financial aid or material resources, more effective strategies involve fostering participatory reading groups, collaborative learning spaces, and supportive social networks—thereby directly cultivating students’ cultural and social capital. The study’s limitations include its cross-sectional design and single-university context, which restrict causal inference and generalizability. Future qualitative research should investigate the lived experiences underlying these statistical relationships and examine the potential moderating effects of academic discipline and prior educational background. Ultimately, this study underscores the need to reconsider cultural policies within higher education and opens new avenues for socio-culturally informed research on academic reading attitudes.