Student-College Interaction: Affective Impact at a Private Junior College

This study investigates the impact of the college environment on student personalities. It probes the question of whether a college can make a significant difference in the social and intellectual development of a student. It identifies the specific changes in emotions, interests, and outlook on life that college experience should and can achieve for its students. In a two-year longitudinal investigation, including pretests and post-tests, the personality needs and values of students who attended a private junior college in 1968 and in 1974 were determined through the use of the Activities Index, a personality inventory, and the Allport–Vernon–Lindzey Value Profile. To explore the effects of the college climate as it may have affected the needs and values of the students, Stern's College Characteristic Index was administered to the students. The interaction of the personality needs of the students with the college press as perceived by the students indicated positive shifts in the aspirational level, student dignity, and academic achievement drive of the majority of students. Some unanticipated dysfunctional aspects of the school press were also uncovered in addition to other favorable outcomes. Implications and recommendations for student development are discussed. Theoretically, the analysis of results exemplifies the application of Lewin's (1951) group dynamics principles and Getzels and Guba's (1957) social system model of need-press interaction.