Abstract
This study examines the relationship between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and values in an entry-level class of cadets at the United States Military Academy in an exploration of the value bases of our future military elite. Following Kohn's model of social structure and values, we hypothesized relationships between parental SES and cadet orientations toward self-direction and conformity. We found little support for the model. Rather, there seems to be an overwhelming degree of value consensus among cadets, which we believe is a function of self-selection and anticipatory socialization. This is manifested in an expressed admiration for conformity and an expressed dislike for independent action.
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