SIX BASIC CONCEPTS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO UNDERSTANDING LIFE STYLES. THEY ARE--(1) THE WIDE VARIATION AMONG THE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY, READILY APPARENT BY VIEWING THE WIDE DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATION, SKILLS, VALUES, AND PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEFS OF THOSE MEMBERS, (2) CONSISTENCY WITHIN OUR SOCIETY, SUBSTANTIATED BY COMPARING BELIEFS AND ATTITUDINAL-BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE PATTERNS REGARDING A GENERAL REFERENT, SUCH AS CHURCHES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, (3) INDEPENDENCE OF REFERENTS, VALIDATED BY AN INVESTIGATION SHOWING THAT FOR THE MOST PART, ONE SECTOR OF LIFE IS NOT IMPINGED UPON BY ANOTHER SECTOR, (4) SOCIALIZATION, WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE PROCESSES WHICH OPERATE WITHIN THE CULTURE, THE SOCIETY, THE COMMUNITY, ORGANIZATIONS, AND REFERENCE GROUPS, (5) REFERENCE GROUPS AND REFERENCE PERSONS, AND (6) BELIEFS, ACTIONS, AND THE SELF, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT EDUCATION THROUGH PARTICIPATION MAY BE FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN EDUCATION THROUGH READING BOOKS OR LISTENING TO LECTURES. THE EMERGING STYLES OF LIFE ARE BEING SHAPED BY CHANGING VALUES AND MAY NOT FIND THE FAMILY AND THE CHURCH AS THEIR STRONGEST REFERENCE GROUPS. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK CONFERENCE ON RURAL YOUTH, OCTOBER 23-26, 1967, WASHINGTON, D. C., SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE U. S. DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, INTERIOR, AND LABOR, OEO, AND THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YOUTH OPPORTUNITY. (ES)