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THIS STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE METHOD ORIENTATION OF ADULTS (SPECIFICALLY, 611 RESIDENTS OF PREDOMINANTLY RURAL COLUMBIA COUNTY, WISCONSIN) FOR PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, HOBBIES AND RECREATION, ACADEMIC OR GENERAL EDUCATION, RELIGION, MORALS AND ETHICS, HOME AND FAMILY LIFE, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, CURRENT EVENTS, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND CITIZENSHIP. GROUP ORIENTED METHODS INCLUDED CLASSES, DISCUSSION GROUPS, SHORT COURSE OR LECTURE SERIES, AND WORKSHOPS OR INSTITUTES. INDIVIDUAL METHODS INCLUDED TAKING CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, STUDYING BOOKS OR OTHER PRINTED MATTER, CONSULTING EXPERTS OR SPECIALISTS, READING NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES, AND WATCHING TELEVISION AT HOME. CERTAIN SOCIOECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND FACTORS WERE ALSO CONSIDERED. FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT AREAS, GROUP METHODS WERE PREFERRED BY THE MAJORITY OF ADULTS. WITHIN SUBJECT AREAS, ADULTS PREFERRING INDIVIDUAL METHODS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE OLDER, WITH RELATIVELY LOW EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND FAMILY INCOMES, WITH THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF INDIVIDUAL ORIENTATION APPEARING AMONG WOMEN WITH EIGHT YEARS OR LESS OF SCHOOLING. (THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES FOOTNOTES AND FIVE TABLES.) THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ADULT EDUCATION RESEARCH, CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 11-13, 1968. (LY)

TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOGMATISM AND PERFORMANCE AS MEASURES OF PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY IN EXTENSION AGENTS, A STUDY WAS MADE OF 486 AGENTS AND 23 SUPERVISORS IN FIVE STATES. AGENTS RESPONDED TO MAILED QUESTIONNAIRES AND THEIR SUPERVISORS RETURNED PERFORMANCE RATINGS. THE DEGREE OF OPEN-MINDEDNESS WAS MEASURED ON THE ROKEACH DOGMATISM SCALE AND PERFORMANCE SCORES WERE MEASURED BY RATINGS BY THE SUPERVISORS USING THE LAWSHE KEPHART PERSONNEL COMPARISON SYSTEM. AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEVEL OF DOGMATISM AND PERFORMANCE WAS INDICATED. IT WAS MOST STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH MIDDLE AGED AGENTS, AND THOSE WITH LESS THAN A MASTER'S DEGREE. A SLIGHT POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WAS SHOWN BETWEEN AGE AND DOGMATISM, AND A STRONG NEGATIVE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND DOGMATISM. ANALYSIS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT AGENTS LOW IN DOGMATISM WERE RATED HIGHER IN PERFORMANCE THAN AGENTS HIGH IN DOGMATISM REGARDLESS OF THE DEGREE OF DOGMATISM OF THE SUPERVISOR. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ADULT EDUCATION RESEARCH, CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 11-13, 1968. (RT)

USING DATA FROM A STANFORD UNIVERSITY STUDY IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF 25 MEDIA USE AND INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIORS. SEVEN SOCIAL-PERSONAL AND THREE PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES WERE ALSO CONSIDERED. YOUNGER ADULTS WERE MOST LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN ADULT EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY VOCATIONAL COURSES AND EVENING CLASSES AND USE RADIO FOR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT. OLDER ADULTS WERE THE ONES MOST LIKELY TO READ "READERS' DIGEST" AND RELY ON RADIO FOR INFORMATION. READING OF FICTION BOOKS AND OF DOMESTIC AND FASHION MAGAZINES (WOMEN), AND PARTICIPATION IN ARTS AND CRAFTS COURSES (MEN) AND LIBERAL ARTS (WOMEN) WERE BEST PREDICTED BY SEX. EDUCATION CORRELATED WITH READING OF BOOKS, NEWS MAGAZINES, AND PERIODICALS IN GENERAL AND WITH RECENT PUBLIC LIBRARY USE. INCOME AND EDUCATION WERE STRONG PREDICTORS OF NEWSPAPER USE. RECEPTIVITY TO NEW EDUCATIONAL MEDIA PREDICTED THE USE OF REFERENCE BOOKS, IMPERSONAL INFORMATION SEEKING, AND INDEPENDENT STUDY. MEMBERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS CORRELATED CLOSELY WITH INTERPERSONAL INFORMATION SEEKING, AND THE PERCEPTION OF PRACTICAL INFORMATION IN MEDIA WAS RELATED TO USE OF "LIFE" MAGAZINE, SERIOUS TELEVISION PROGRAMS, AND SPECIFIC INFORMATION SEEKING. ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION CORRELATED WITH NONFICTION READING. IMPLICATIONS AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES WERE SUGGESTED. INCLUDED ARE 52 TABLES AND FIGURES AND 28 REFERENCES. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ADULT EDUCATION RESEARCH, CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 11-13, 1968. (LY)

IN 1963, THE JAMESVILLE-DEWITT BOARD OF EDUCATION ORDERED THE INVESTIGATION OF VARIOUS SCHOOL ORGANIZATION PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHICH PROGRAM OFFERED THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT GROWTH. THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT A MIDDLE SCHOOL ORGANIZATION (5-4-3 GRADE DIVISION) WOULD MORE EFFICIENTLY FULFILL STUDENT GROWTH NEEDS. SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS BEGIN A NEW ADOLESCENT CYCLE AND REQUIRE SPECIALIZED FACILITIES, INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAMS, AND MASTER TEACHERS (TRAINED IN TEACHING METHODOLOGY AND PARTICULAR DISCIPLINES) WHICH MIDDLE SCHOOLS CAN OFFER. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLACES GRADES 6 AND 9 IN MORE NATURAL SETTINGS AND ALLOWS FOR EASIER SOCIOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENTS. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES MEAN LITTLE, HOWEVER, WITHOUT FACILITY AND CURRICULUM CHANGE. CONSEQUENTLY, A CURRICULUM COUNCIL RECOMMENDED THAT EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL CONSIST OF 3 SUBSCHOOLS OF APPROXIMATELY 325-350 PUPILS, WITH AN ORGANIZATION FOR DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM SEEKS TO AVOID THE REGIMENTATION OF GRADE SCHOOL AND THE PRESSURES OF HIGH SCHOOL AND TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT. MASTER TEACHERS AND EFFICIENT GUIDANCE PROGRAMS FURNISH THE KEY TO ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL STUDENT DEVELOPMENT IN GRADES 6, 7, AND 8. INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENT IS A RECENT TEXAS STUDY OF 7-8, 7-8-9, AND 6-7-8 GRADE PLANS LISTING THE STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF EACH. (GB)

This paper identifies certain methodological shortcomings that seem to be inherent in much of the comparative generational research and also presents the results of a generational differences study in which these methodological deficiencies have been minimized. People of different ages who had served as VISTA volunteers were asked the same questions during the same period of time. Relationship between the VISTA experience and select social and political attitudes was determined. Analysis of the data show generally greater disenchantment and alienation of the younger volunteer. More specifically, when a comparison is made between those under and over age 30, issues that revolve around the integrity, morality, intent, and procedures of our government and social institutions point up significant generational differences. These differences are interpreted in several ways: (1) the younger volunteers' pre-disposition toward alienation; (2) the youths' relative lack of experience as individuals working within a bureaucratic system; and (3) the fact that the older volunteers have been integral parts of the very same social institutions which the young attack. (Author/SES)

The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework to describe and account for dynamic properties of status projection phenomena. The effort is limited in the main to consideration of occupational and educational status projections, and emphasis is given to the particular characteristics and attributes of the rural social milieu existing in the context of an urban-industrial society. An attempt is made at synthesis of a number of broad, and sometimes conflicting, theoretical perspectives to provide a relatively coherent framework. This theoretical framework provides a guide for research aimed at illuminating the dynamic aspects of projection of social status through time. In addition, consideration is given to factors influencing differentials in the maintenance and/or change of these phenomena with progression through the age-status sequence, ranging from early adolescence to old age. Hypotheses and suggestions for research priorities are offered. (Author)

Absolute and thermal noise masked pure tone thresholds were obtained for 3666 people at the 1948 San Diego County Fair. For groups having equal absolute hearing losses, slightly greater masked losses were found for the older age groups (over 40), females, and individuals who had not worked in noise, had not had musical training, and who were aware of hearing difficulty. It was further found that those with predominantly low frequency losses had greater masked losses than those with predominantly high frequency losses. Ratios of the intensity of the tones to intensity per cycle of the masking noise were obtained for masked thresholds of people whose corresponding absolute thresholds varied over a seventy‐db range. These ratios are plotted as a function of absolute hearing loss.

Educational institutions, particularly colleges and universities, will be affected by the change in status of 18 to 21 year olds legally. In Federal elections nationwide they have been given the right to vote. In about one-half of the states in the nation they have been enfranchised as legal adults. The full implications of this change of status for this age group have yet to be realized in society or in institutions of higher education. Some of the possible ramifications resulting from this change of status are examined in this paper and some suggestions are offered for adjusting to this change by colleges and universities. (Author)

The human life course is examined so as to clarify the nature and meaning of age to members of different social classes at different periods of their lives. The author utilizes a developmental framework: life is made up of interlinked role sequences involving cumulative learning. Each stage builds on the previous one. Within this framework, the role possibilities and expectations for individuals at different ages are considered. Some, such as school age, have been codified in law. Others are based on normal maturation in children (e.g., the age for walking). Still others are derived from the nature of the economy and social organization (such as the "marrying" age). Some of the problems resulting from age stratification are pointed up. For example, failure to meet certain age-bound expectations can cause problems at a later age. Also, some age expectations are met more easily by members of one social class than by members of another. (TL)

The author reviews cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on the status of intelligence in the aging, and finds conflicting conclusions: (1) intelligence does decline as persons grow older; (2) only some aspects decline while others improve; and (3) intelligence does not decline. Certain factors are adduced to suggest that such argument-counterargument may characterize the research in the future, though there are signs that research designs may be refined. It is argued that research must focus on improved descriptions of the abilities which constitute the essence of intelligence in the most active years of adulthood and it is suggested that some of these abilities will indicate a form of independent, creative thinking that is not well-assessed by existing tests designed for youth. Two more fruitful trends are discussed which follow from efforts to rethink the idea that time is not a cause and that age is a dependent, rather than an independent, variable. (TL)

The paper considers the results of theory and research in the psychological aspects of foreign language teaching as sources of guidance in making sound eucational decisions concerning the aims of language teaching at all levels. Major attention is given to the suggestion offered by research findings that language aptitude depends upon a somewhat different set of abilities (primarily differences in learning rate, from those articles required to master other subject matter. An explanation of the Modern Language Aptitude Test's ability to measure, predict, and identify such distinctive foreign language learning traits as (1) phonetic coding ability, (2) grammatical sensitivity, (3) rote learning ability for meanings of foreign language words and expressions, and (4) deductive learning ability, precedes a discussion of the Test's use for selection, guidance, and diagnosis. More briefly examined are how the factors of age, length of study, and motivation influence the learning of a foreign language. Concluding remarks concern the proper aims for language instruction and the teaching methods appropriate for achieving these goals. For related documents see FL 001 222 and FL 001 223. (AF)

This paper discusses organizational processes and memory in general and organizational processes and adult age differences in memory in particular. The simplest analysis of memory is to divide the process into two parts: storage and retrieval. Studies show that the limitation of memory lies primarily in retrieval rather than storage. Organization represents a retrieval plan or rule to provide a set of cues. From this approach, there are at least two possible sources of adult age differences in retrieval processes: (1) differences in the quantity and quality of the information contained in the retrieval plan; and (2) differences in the availability of the retrieval plan at recall. Studies are presented illustrating both of these possibilities. (KJ/Author)

Demographic and selected socioeconomic changes which have occurred during the past decade in rural Georgia are delineated in this paper. The sample consisted of 50 counties, none of which had any urban population in 1960 or 1970. These counties, which are representative of rural regions which are losing or gaining population, were divided into 2 groups consisting of (1) 27 counties which had lost population and (2) 23 counties which had gained population. Demographic changes occurred in the areas of population size, age composition, sex composition, racial characteristics, and fertility. The selected socioeconomic characteristics included occupational characteristics, income, housing, health, education, and agriculture. The data for each group, given in tabular form, included a listing of the counties along with their population in 1960 and 1970, total age and sex composition, age and sex composition for the white and nonwhite populations, the births by race, percent of persons employed by occupation, income by percent of families in each income group, the housing characteristics, the number of physicians in private practice by county, selected educational characteristics, and selected farm characteristics. (NQ)

The following conclusions were reached after a study of the middle school years. (1) The middle school is an overwhelming success in operation. (2) Because of the age grouping and release of pressure from the secondary school, it has permitted the implementation of the philsophy of a transitional school. (3) The age grouping and educational philosophy requires a different focus for the guidance counselor's activities, necessitating a change in the areas of emphasis during his training. (4) The guidance requirements of the middle school indicate a need and the direction for the development of guidelines for preparation of counselors for the middle schools. (Author)

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

A THOROUGH-GOING JOB OF RETRAINING OLDER PERSONS IS NECESSARY TO GET THE JOB PROGRESSION LINE MOVING. FOR MANY YEARS, THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK HAS INCLUDED IN ITS TRAINING PROGRAM THE RETRAINING OF MAINTENANCE MEN AT THE JOURNEYMAN AND HELPER LEVEL. BOTH CLASSROOM AND SHOPROOM INSTRUCTION ARE PROVIDED AND BASIC SKILLS AND REMEDIAL EDUCATION INCLUDED. SUCCESS IN TRAINING PLUMBERS, PIPEFITTERS, AND SPRINKLER FITTERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAS SHOWN THE NEED FOR SHORT, PRACTICAL COURSES, VISUAL AIDS, COMPETENT INSTRUCTORS, AND IMMEDIATE APPLICATION OF SKILLS. IN TEN YEARS OF EXPERIMENTAL WORK IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING HAS PROVED MOST PRACTICAL AND EFFECTIVE FOR RETRAINING SUPERVISORS, OPERATORS, AND MAINTENANCE MEN. RESEARCH ON ADULT LEARNING AT DUKE UNIVERSITY HAS SUGGESTED THAT A LEARNING DEFICIT IS NOT TRULY OF LEARNING BUT OF PERFORMANCE AND RECOMMENDS THAT RETRAINING BE A ROUTINE PART OF WORK IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE STRESS OF THE LEARNING SITUATION. PROVISION IS MADE UNDER THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OF BASIC EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND COUNSELING, AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE HARD-CORE UNEMPLOYED, MANY OF WHOM ARE OVER 45 (AMONG TOPICS DISCUSSED WERE THE NEED FOR COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND FOR A CENTRAL LIBRARY.) THESE PAPERS WERE PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANPOWER TRAINING AND THE OLDER WORKER, WASHINGTON, JANUARY 17-19, 1966. (PT)

THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS ABSTRACTS OF TECHNICAL NOTES. THE TECHNICAL NOTES ARE WORKING PAPERS OF THE DIVISION OF OPERATIONS ANALYSIS AND ARE BEING CIRCULATED BY MEANS OF DEPOSIT IN THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER. (HW)

Fourteen women taking oral contraceptives were admitted during a five-year period because of acute cerebrovascular lesions. A diagnosis of major cerebral embolism was established in four of them. No source of embolism was found, and thorough investigation failed to reveal any predisposing illness. Cerebral embolism was a probable diagnosis in several of the remaining 10 patients. A comparison was made with the strokes occurring in women not taking contraceptive pills in corresponding age groups.

Data obtained in long-term epidemiological studies of arterial blood pressure in the general population in South Wales were analysed to provide background information for the rational planning of screening programmes for hypertension. The incidence rates for cardiovascular complications emphasize the much greater prognostic value of blood pressure measurements in men than in women. Proportionately fewer men are treated for hypertension at all ages and blood pressure levels; in the survey areas treatment for hypertension is less than satisfactory in both sexes but particularly inadequate among men. The data suggest that once a screening programme has been carried out rescreening can be made more efficient by allowing the intervals before re-examination to be determined by the initial findings rather than by age.

"Cot deaths" are estimated to account for over 20% of the mortality in the age group concerned, more than 1,400 such fatalities having occurred in England and Wales in 1955 (Banks, 1958). The infants are found unexpectedly dead in the cot, having been placed there, generally the previous night, either well or suffering from an apparently trivial upset that usually had given no cause for alarm to the parents or to the medical attendant.

In the Bristol clinical area the frequency of gall bladder operations rose by a factor of 3·4 between 1940 and 1970, the greatest increase occurring in the 1950s. The increase took place in all age groups, but was greatest in the under-30s and in men. Numerous factors affect the chance of a patient with gall stones being operated on, but a change of this magnitude suggests there has been a substantial rise in the incidence of gall stones since the second world war. This belief is supported by data from the nationwide Hospital In-patient Enquiry.

This work is concerned with the problem of the chronic toxicity of sulphur dioxide in pulp mills. Fifty-four workers at four different pulp mills working in the acid towers and digester plants have been investigated with special regard to symptoms and signs of respiratory disease. Vital capacity has been measured with a `Kifa9 apparatus and maximal expiratory flow with a Wright peak flow meter. The concentration of sulphur dioxide in the working atmosphere has been measured during general working conditions on a single day, and the values were found to range between 2 and 36 parts per million. The control group consisted of 56 paper industry workers from the same district with similar working conditions but working in an atmosphere free from objectionable gases. No significant difference in age or smoking habits was found between the groups. A significantly higher frequency of cough, expectoration, and dyspnoea on exertion was found in the exposed group, the difference being greatest in age groups under 50 years. The average maximal expiratory flow rate was significantly lower (P = 0·05) in the exposed group than in those not exposed for men under 50 years. Over this age there was no significant difference between the two groups. Vital capacity values showed no significant difference between the groups.

Beta-haemolytic streptococci were isolated from 35% of 525 children who presented to their family doctors with sore throat. The first 306 were investigated bacteriologically and virologically and beta-haemolytic streptococci were isolated from 30% and viruses from 14·7%. The ages which had the highest incidence of sore throat, for both sexes, were 7, then 6, 8, and 5. Those with tonsils had a higher incidence of beta-haemolytic streptococci than those without, but the presence or absence of tonsils made no difference to the degree of growth of the streptococci. Viruses were isolated predominantly during the winter months, but streptococci, though mostly isolated in winter, were isolated throughout the rest of the year.

A new method for the measurement of capillary fragility based on the time of appearance of petechiae under standardized conditions has been used to study 88 non-diabetics and 211 patients attending a diabetic clinic. In the former the capillary fragility increased with age. In the diabetic group 78 out of 195 patients had complications, and in all age groups these latter patients had more fragile capillaries.In general the capillary fragility was greater in patients taking insulin than in those taking antidiabetic tablets or on diet alone, and in the first group capillary fragility was greatest in those receiving more than 50 units daily and least in those receiving less than 25 units daily.Capillary fragility measurement by this method may be of value in assessment, prognosis, and studying the response to treatment in diabetes.

Of the patients in an industrial general practice 1.3% required hypnotic drugs regularly. They were predominantly in the older age groups (mean 62.7 years), with an excess of widows. Only 0.02% were severely dependent; the remainder were mildly so, though they had been taking hypnotics for long periods (mean 5.6 years). There were three main original indications for hypnotics—namely, medical (pain), psychiatric, and onset insomnia in anxious personality disorder. One-fifth of the patients first took hypnotics while in hospital. The group as a whole manifested a high degree of abnormal psychological disposition. It is suggested that many patients who take hypnotics regularly may be placebo reactors, and a more critical attitude to hypnotic prescribing is required both in hospital and in general practice.

Two influenza epidemics in Britain in 1968-9 and 1969-70, were due to the Hong Kong/68 variant of influenza A2 virus. The first epidemic was prolonged with low morbidity and mortality rates; the second was sharp with high rates. The difference between total morbidity and mortality in the two epidemics, however, was less than it appeared to be—the estimated excess morbidity and mortality due to all causes in 1969-70 was only about 50% greater than in 1968-9. Antibody studies showed that about one-quarter of two groups of adults investigated were infected in the first epidemic and about one-third in the second. After the two epidemics about one-third still had no antibody to the A2/Hong Kong/68 virus.