Personality Changes Associated With A College Education

The purpose of the present study was to determine, through a longitudinal study of persons differing in amount of higher education over a 2-year and a 4-year period, whether or not there are changes in personality characteristics associated with college education. Thus, the study was made of over 2,000 persons, part of whom attended college or were studied for 2 years and the rest of whom attended college or were studied for 4 years in the years 1958 through 1962. Results of the study indicate that personality changes in persons of that time did occur in measured ethnocentrism, authoritarianism, and dogmatism, regardless of the am.)unt of college education that the persons attained. All change was in the direction of decreased ethnocentrism, authoritarianism, and dogmatism,-, indicating that with youth aspiring to a college education, changes in personality will occur regardless of whether or not they actually attend college.:(HS