Subjective indicators were used to measure perceived overall quality of life and the value placed on and satisfaction with life concerns of some rural, white families in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A human ecological systems approach which assumes that human needs are satisfied through use of resources of the natural, human-constructed, and…

Discusses the concept of copability and the development of a sense of competence in juxtaposition to the depersonalization and anomie resulting from an increasingly industrialized and institutionalized society. Explores this juxtaposition by relating these concepts to experiencing a close family member's death. (Author)

An analysis of the differences in the degree of retirement satisfaction was made, with respect to place of residence, perception of mental health and perception of physical health. The sample size consisted of 744 retired individuals who were part of a state-wide probability sample of 1133 residents of the state of Wyoming, age 60 and over. As…

Factors contributing to the quality of life of older adults were investigated. A national survey provided the data which were collected in four-hour interviews from a representative national sample of 800 persons 68 to 72 years old when interviewed. The respondents reported on aspects of their quality of life related to their family, education,…

Leisure is a function of the individual's interaction with the environment, both social and physical. The sense of freedom from obligation (or the "leisure experience"), and the context in which this experience might take place, differ significantly from person to person. These factors depend on each person's individual background and…

The growing body of gerontological research examining the correlates of life satisfaction indicates that physical health is its strongest correlate. Within this framework, the relationship between satisfaction and health among 29 institutionalized subjects was investigated through a longitudinal study. Unlike previous studies, objective measures…

This paper briefly overviews the economic and social conditions of the 11 million Black children and youth in the United States in the 1970s. Directions for social action are suggested and the aims of the National Black Child Development Institute are indicated. (RH)

Focusing on vocational education as a facilitator of rural economic development, the author of this paper discusses how to develop a rural community that will attract new jobs. His discussion includes the following key points: the role of local development corporations; concerns about quality of living for employees; encouragement of home-grown…

The well-being of poor older people is a concern for society. Two random samples of people, 65 years old and older, were taken in Cleveland, Ohio--1,300 from the general population and 194 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. Both samples were interviewed in 1975 and 1976, and a well-being status was developed for each person in the…

Since 1963 the United States has witnessed the unprecedented success of what Stewart Udall termed the "third wave" of the conservation movement. With the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and passage of the National Environmental Policy Act and numerous other environmental bills, concern for the environment has become…

The effect of participation in a series of workshops about citizen involvement in civic affairs on locus of control, life satisfaction and anomia among the aged population in the Piedmont region of North Carolina was investigated, as well as the extent to which certain personal and situational characteristics of respondents were associated with…

The materials contained in these hearings represent the statements of witnesses before one of the Subcommittees of the Committee on Aging of the House of Representatives. Witnesses include members of Congress, persons affiliated with the Administration on Aging and the U.S. Civil Service Commission, representatives of various labor unions, those…

Theories of social change suggest that both anomy and alienation should increase among low-income people experiencing rapid social change. To more sharply distinguish the causal relationship between social change and the state of peoples' minds in rural and semirural areas of the South, separate hypotheses were developed for anomy (Durkheim's…

A systemic, holistic perspective is used in examining three challenges to the educational community today and in positing the idea of a societal organization of education for meeting these challenges. The problems identified--(1) improvement in the quality of education, (2) provision of life-long learning experiences, and (3) improvement in the…

The curriculum guide for teaching social sciences to mentally gifted students in grades 4 through 6 centers on concepts related to the development of creativity and productivity and, eventually, of the realization of personal potential through contributions to humanity. Chapters focus on behavioral objectives for learning skills, cognitive…