Value Accentuation or Convergence: Analysis of the Pattern and Process of College Student Change

Abstract

College student value change was analyzed for individual and group value accentuation or convergence among a longitudinal panel study of students in a traditional, large liberal arts college and a small, innovative living-learning subenvironment. Initially students in the innovative environment were more liberal, socally conscious, culturally sophisticated and intellectually oriented than their counterparts in the traditional setting, and, after two years, accentuation of these group differences had occurred. However, these group differences were not the result of accentuation of individual differences. Instead, increases in the student values were linked to interaction with peers and faculty on related topics and these patterns of interaction were more likely to occur in the living-learning subenvironment. Finally, those students who initially were lowest on a value and who frequently interacted with faculty or peers on related topics tended to experience the greatest value change.