The individual who is a focus of public attention is an active constructor of outcomes. He attempts to anticipate important characteristics of his observers and modifies his reactions in order to control likely consequences. The nature of the task is also of central importance. For socially relevant responses the individual's behavior is closely…

In this speech delivered to the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, the author reviews five papers presented for discussion, and integrates them into treatment of the family, gender role and sexuality. She further indicates theoretical flaws and weaknesses, as well as problems in the fieldwork on data accumulation. (MML)

This paper examined the social function of the elderly in various countries including Nigeria, Thailand, Ireland, Russia, Israel, Japan and the U.S.A. It was determined that the status enjoyed by the elderly of these cultures may have been related to the degree of dependency the younger population expressed toward the elderly. The dependency…