nsibilities which come from making one's own decisions in life (Lugo, 1984, p. 28). Yet another factor is involved in the transition which occurs when a young adult begins attending college. This is the factor of meeting new friends and being exposed to new social settings. As noted by Horowitz (1987), "in entering college, freshmen step into a complex environment containing alternative student cultures, each with its own standards and values" (p. 4).
These changes have a powerful influence on the psychological state of most college undergraduates. The result of these changes is that the undergraduate feels a strong need to fit in with a group of peers. For example, the search for identity and the search for meaning in life are both solved to an extent by identification with a specific social group. In addition, being away from home for the first time is often a frightening experience which causes the young adult to seek out new relationships with others. Being exposed to new people and new social situations further contributes to this feeling. All of these changes cause the undergraduate to feel a need for acceptance within a group. Once the undergraduate is accepted into a specific group of peers, importance shifts to a need to remain within that group. As noted by Ross (1990),
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