A comparative study of attitudes and values at different levels of optometric education

The goals of this study were three-fold. First, the dominant values as measured by Spranger\u27s Study of Values test were determined for optometry students as a group. Secondly, these values were compared within the group of optometry students to see if any differences existed among classes. Finally, the values were compared to both professional and undergraduate student groups. Optometry students as a group were found to have high aesthetic and low political and religious scores relative to the collegiate norms. The only significant difference found when the optometry classes were compared to each other was the social scale for the first versus the fourth year class. Several significant differences of values were seen between optometry and medical students