Interest in adults' everyday reading practices has a lengthy history in the study of the psychology of reading. Several studies have examined the extent of, and variability in, adults' reading activities. Different social contexts have been shown to influence the type of reading performed. The present study examined the reading patterns and…

Determines the relationship between attitude and reading behavior in adults. Finds that adults with positive attitudes toward reading spend more time in daily reading and read a wider variety of materials than do adults with negative attitudes. (MG)

Finds that reading practices involving books and work documents bore a strong relationship to literacy proficiencies, and that younger adults were more likely to read brief documents for work, while older adults were more avid newspaper readers. Concludes that engaging in a diversity of reading practices is indicative of reading maturity and has…

Examines the relationship between pre-service teacher attitudes toward reading and the number of reading methods and other reading- and language-related courses they have taken. Finds pre-service teachers possess only moderately positive attitudes about reading. Finds no relationship between reading attitude and the number of courses taken. (RS)

Reports on a study comparing the reading attitudes of developmental reading students and teacher education students at a large midwestern university and community-dwelling adults. Developmental students had significantly lower reading attitude scores, but their reading performance was independent of reading attitude. (DMM)

A study investigated what adults think about the nature of changes in reading ability across the life span. Subjects, 121 undergraduate students at two major midwestern universities and 24 non-faculty employees at one of these schools, were asked to list five or more skills which they thought were important for being a good reader at four…

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to assess reading attitudes of normal adult readers (N=84) and to examine relationships among attitude and other reading-related factors. Positive reading attitude was associated with high reading comprehension test scores, higher education attainment, and high self-rating of reading ability.…

Findings from a longitudinal study which examined the stability of reading attitude from early childhood to the middle-adult years suggest that reading attitude is a stable construct over time, although early childhood measures of reading attitude are poor predictors of adult attitude. Young adult measures are the best predictors. (IAH)

Surveys reading attitudes, habits, and perceptions about reading of 84 adults in a wide variety of occupations. Finds more positive attitudes toward reading, more time spent reading, and higher ratings of own reading ability among adults with more education and adults employed in higher status occupations. Finds no educational or occupational…

A longitudinal study in 10 rural Wisconsin communities examined the development of reading attitude in subjects from early childhood to middle adulthood. Subjects, 84 white adults ranging in age from 35 to 44 years, represented a wide range of educational attainment levels, a wide range of occupations, and had participated in studies of reading…