Hi
The survey on the values of university students was indeed over
decades and properly called cross-sectional (not longitudinal, as
I had stated). A lengthy report from late 1980s appears at:
http://www.stcloudstate.edu/~irp/reports/scan/amfreshman.html
Here is a short excerpt:
-----------start of quote-------------
Each year the freshman survey includes a list of fifteen to
twenty items describing various personal values or "life goals."
Although many of the value statements have waxed and waned in
popularity since the 1960s, two of the items have shown
especially consistent and contrasting trends. The item showing
the strongest upward trend is "being very well-off financially."
Between 1970 and 1987, student endorsement of this value
increased from a low of 39.1 percent to an all-time high of 75.6
percent of the entering freshmen. Over the same period, the value
showing the most precipitous decline in student endorsement is
"developing a meaningful philosophy of life." (See Figure 17.)
Although the latter was the most popular value in 1967, endorsed
by 82.9 percent of the entering freshmen, it has been regularly
decreasing throughout most of the history of the CIRP. It
continued a steady decline until 1987, when it reached its low
point of 39.4 percent. Since 1987, however, the trends have
reversed: Interest in developing a meaningful philosophy of life
has been increasing gradually while wanting to be very well-off
financially has become slightly less popular. It may be that this
recent reversal, coupled with the sharply declining interest in
business careers and majors, are early signals of a shift away
from a materialistic philosophy.
---------------end of quote-------------
I don't know to what extent changes in the composition of the
student body has been examined as a cause for the changes in
values. The recent reversal of the long-term trend is also
interesting.
Best wishes
Jim
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James M. Clark (204) 786-9757
Department of Psychology (204) 774-4134 Fax
University of Winnipeg 4L05D
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
CANADA http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/~clark
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