This longitudinal analysis examines changes in voluntary association participation levels over a four-year period using data from the Duke Adaptation Study (N=374) and over a two and one-half year period using data from Oberlin, Ohio (N=104). The findings showed the extent of participation was high in both samples. (Author)

To examine the number of subjective age categories in the post-high school portion of the American lifecycle, adult respondents sorted cards describing people in terms of major life events and classified them according to age. A nonlinear decrease in the number of age distinctions occurred in the late portion of middle age (46-65 years). (Author)

Older men and women (N=3630) were examined for sex differences in selected social and psychological characteristics. Compared to older men, older women were found to be as work-oriented and more likely to take a long time adjusting to retirement. Older women were more likely to report "negative" psychological symptoms. (Author)

This study constitutes an effort to apply to females the role-theoretical orientation to work and retirement in old age which has often been applied to men. Cross-sectional data are used to test the hypothesis that older working women have better morale than those not working. Results are discussed. (Author)

Two models of the senior center are examined: (1) the social agency model, which views senior centers as programs especially for the poor and the disengaged and (2) the voluntary organization model, which sees centers as for active elderly who have strong attachments to the community. Findings support the voluntary organization model. Paper…

Recent research in the quality of life has identified a sense of security as a significant component. Taking its negative, fear, the personal and structural factors associated with fear of walking around one's neighborhood were assessed in a secondary analysis using data from a 1973 representative national sample. (Author)

Numerous investigators have commented upon the sanguine evaluations of their living environments which are given by elderly people. Insofar as this is true, old people's evaluations should become more negative when their efforts to move to a more desirable setting meet with success. This hypothesis was tested and was supported. (Author)

A technique was devised to estimate age specific remarriage probabilities for newly widowed persons utilizing North Carolina marriage certificates plus information from the 1970 U.S. Census. Remarriage probabilities are very high for persons widowed before age 35. Remarriage probabilities decrease faster for widows than widowers. Age specific…

The ability of preretirement programs to generate changes facilitating the transition to retirement was investigated. A research design was employed to evaluate a group discussion program and an individual briefing program. Group discussion program was effective in increasing knowledge of retirement issues. Effectiveness of individual briefing…

The relationship between sponsorship, community size, building size (number of dwelling units) and height of building, on the one hand, and six indices of well-being of elderly tenants, on the other, was examined in a study of 2457 subjects from 154 federally-assisted housing projects. (Author)

Studies report contradictory finding on the hypothesis of an inverse relationship between work satisfaction and retirement attitude. Some suggest this inverse relationship occurs only where work acts as a key organizing factor for the workers. Data testing these hypotheses were analyzed from a study of employed males age 50 and older (N=1,922).…

Widows and widowers, grouped by whether their spouse died of short-term or chronic illness, were compared on three criteria of medical adjustment. (Author/EJT)

This sample reaction time, discrimination reaction time and the movement time of older men who have experienced a life style of chronic physical activity were compared to those of nonactive men of similar age and also to active and nonactive young men. (Author)

Participants (N=177) evaluated female job applicants on the basis of a transcript of a job interview. One-half of the participants were told that the applicant was 63, one-half that the applicant was 24. Regardless of age, people who were hired were rated more positively than those who were not. (Author/MFD)

This study was designed to assess listeners' ability to judge a taped speaker's age and to measure the extent to which personality ratings are affected by perceived age. In two experiments, undergraduate subjects demonstrated that speaker age can be reliably estimated over a wide age range for both female and male voices. (Author)