The instrumental and expressive utilities of participating in education differ among participants. To ascertain how age affects their perception of these forms of utility, questionnaires were executed by 400 middle class participants ages 18-84 in 45 classes for adults in the Chicago area. Independent variables influencing perception of utility…

Using data on life satisfaction from the 1975 Harris National Survey, the psychometric equivalent of the factor structures was examined across four age groupings: ages 18 to 30, 31 to 44, 45 to 64, and 65 and over. Factor invariance was not supported. Results point out that the factor structures of the age groups were dissimilar and that the…

There is a need to begin educating America as to the nature and the problems of growing old. Many observations made about the aged are grossly inaccurate, yet they represent a portion of the mythology of aging that is accepted without question by a large segment of American society. A leading gerontologist believes that aging is only a series of…

Personal intent and discourse considerations play an important role in understanding the nature of a conversation between a youth and an elderly person. Each participant makes assumptions about the listener's knowledge and ability to communicate effectively. The way a speaker reacts to the other participant depends upon the speaker's own…

In seeking to explore theorists' claims that learning, education, and development in old age are linked, this qualitative study investigated how seeking a graduate or undergraduate degree functions in late-life development. Sixteen participants, ages 70 to 84, enrolled in higher education, were interviewed with a view to exploring their major…

Describes an interdisciplinary curriculum on aging that incorporates intergenerational activities, inquiry-oriented research, narrative histories, and field trips. Includes separate questionnaires for older adults and primary grade students, an annotated bibliography, and a chart of activities emphasizing knowledge, comprehension, analysis,…