The Role of Social Integration

The increasing demands of modern society and the modern workforce has resulted in added importance being placed on graduating students' psychosocial development. One well-established comprehensive theory, Chickering's theory of psychosocial development (1969, 1993), defines seven "vectors" of development in a student's personal growth. He has also emphasized the importance of freshman year in establishing patterns for subsequent personal growth. Consequently for educators to strive for "optimal" development for the students, it is especially important for them to examine factors during freshman year which may encourage students' psychosocial development. This study examines the role of social integration in students' psychosocial development, focusing on three of the seven vectors: Developing Autonomy, Clarifying Purpose, and Mature Interpersonal Relationships. The results of the research are discussed with respect to the parameters of Chickering's theory. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed. This study is directed toward higher education researchers and college faculty and administrators.