The American Institutes for Research (2006) recently reported that 20% of U.S. students graduating from four-year colleges and universities and 30% of those completing two-year degrees have quantitative literacy skills at only a basic level. Sociologists are currently working on a variety of approaches to incorporate quantitative literacy into…

A research study analyzed variables contributing to current ratings of graduate institutions. Findings show these variables in order of importance: extensive library holdings, economic resources, and faculty-student ratio. Private and southern institutions achieve less recognition in proportion to resources than do others. (AV)

A research study examined change in the quantity of leisure participation attributable to conversion from a five to a four-day workweek. Change in quantity was defined as (1) frequency change or change in the amount of time devoted to leisure, (2) activity change or change in the number of different leisure activities pursued, and (3) perceptual…

The study explored the effect of membership in nonpolitical voluntary associations upon the degree of political activity of members. In particular, the authors asked whether or not these effects were found in a relatively uniform pattern across different age groups. On the basis of the reported levels of political discussion in 14 types of…

This research study attempts to provide a fuller understanding of policy-related and technical aspects of the migration process. The study bridges the gap between previous research and present concerns of policymakers. The report draws upon longitudinal household data; employs new methodological techniques; and defines explanatory variables to…

This paper is the third in a series exploring the impact of changing proportions of youth in our society. It describes an empirical test of the assertion that there is delay between population changes and societal response, even when those population changes are known in advance. For this study the social institution of schools was examined.…

To counterbalance research emphasis on conventional forms of political participation such as voting, discussing politics, and donating campaign money, the paper presents data from a crossnational study, conducted in 1974, of unconventional as well as conventional participation. "Unconventional participation" is interpreted as including…

An important phenomenon of 20th century American society has been the occurrence of radical shifts in birth rate, fertility rate, and the number of births. This paper is the first of three which explore the relationship between changing proportions of youth in our society and the social, psychological, political, and economic impact of such…

The booklet analyzes demographic and economic characteristics of married couples in the United States. The study is based on census data and on information about joint characteristics of husbands and wives. The objective of the study is to revise concepts related to family and household data by adding analysis of wives' characteristics to…

The paper discusses a study of self-disclosure patterns of 29 college men and 35 college women. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which college students confided in their best male friend, best female friend, mother, and father about attitudes and opinions, tastes and interests, work and studies, money, personality, and body.…

This paper is the second in a series exploring the impact of changing proportions of youth in our society. It attempts to verify the theory of demographic discontinuity (see SO 013 568) through historical analysis. The main part of the paper presents a careful analysis of five historical situations that are generally recognized as being important…

To analyze income inequality in 32 nations, the research tested hypotheses based upon eight socioeconomic variables. The first seven variables, often tested in income research, were: political participation, industrial development, population growth, educational level, inflation rate, economic growth, and technological complexity. The eighth…

The research investigated political and psychological reactance among adolescents. Political reactance is interpreted to include feelings of political alienation and distrust. Psychological reactance is defined as behavior by an individual in response to reduction or threatened reduction of freedom. A model was created which expanded existing…

This paper describes a study to determine whether students can, with appropriate instructional materials, develop and apply a knowledge of art concepts. An opening section reviews research on concept acquisition. This study utilized a concept acquisition model developed in 1970 by R. Gagne. Gagne's model proposed that concepts are learned through…

The research investigated the relationship of a person's sex to his or her public policy preferences, with particular regard to women's issues. Women's issues are reflected in public policy which directly affects women's lives. Examples are day care facilities, sex bias of educational materials, and abortion facilities. The study was conducted to…