本研究主要的目的在於探討美國參加ROTC軍官養成教育計畫的大學生，其政治態 度傾向之變化如何。 本研究樣本共取 497 個 ROTC 學生、380 個一般大學生和 615 個軍校學生的全國性樣本。 問卷調查先在 1987 年當他們還是大學新生的時候實施；四年之後（即 1991 年）再行追蹤 調查。 Astin 所建構的 I-E-O 模型以及區隔式逐步多元迴歸分析，被用來評估「學生投入 理論」運用在 ROTC 學生政治態度發展的適用性。 主要研究發現：在大學四年教育中，ROTC 學生的政治態度發展， 與一般大學生類似，和軍 校學生有顯著的差異。當 ROTC 學生住校或和同學有高度的互動關係之時，參與 ROTC 軍官 養成教育計畫，對於 ROTC 學生政治態度自由傾向之發展，並沒有明顯的抑制效果。然則， 當 ROTC 學生住在校外或和其他同學不常來往時, 參加 ROTC 教育計畫對 ROTC 同學政治態 度自由傾向之發展，就有負面的影響效果。比起 ROTC 學生來說，住校對軍校生政治態度自 由傾向之發展，有極大的負面影響；不住在軍校校園的軍校生則否。 上述的研究發現，對「學生投入理論」提供一個實證研究有力的支持。

　　　　　The objective of this study was to exlpore how American ROTC participation affects cadets' personal development in terms of political liberalism. A national sample of 497 ROTC cadets, 380 non-ROTC college students, and 615 service academy cadets was assessed as entering freshmen in 1987 and followed up four years later in 1991. The Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model and blocked stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to assess the applicability of Astin's Involvement Theory to the undergraduate experience of ROTC cadets. ROTC participation has no discernible effect on political liberalism, provided that the cadet either (a) lives on campus, or (b) interacts frequently with other students. However, among students who either live off campus or ineract infrequently with peers, ROTC participation has a negative effect on political liberalism. Attending a service academy, compared to ROTC participation, also has a negative effect on political liberalism, but only among cadets who live on campus. The findings were interpreted as offering empirical support for the Involvement Theory.