Changes in Church-Related Behavior and Attitudes of Catholic Students, 1961-1971

The Marquette Study of Student Values analyzes religious practices, moral values, and attitudes among Catholic college students. From 1961 to 1971 decreasingfrequency of student attendance at Mass and Confession together with attitudinal changes toward religious practices are evident. Changes in attitudes about dating, decreased scrupulosity in areas of personal honesty and responsibility, looser attitudes toward selected items of personal morality, and increased consideration for others also were revealed. Most changes may be interpreted as reflecting decreased compliance with traditional Church norms, increased conformity to values of American society, and conflicting values related to both cultural pluralism and pluralism within the Catholic Church.