The effects of three levels of living conditions for two age groups of individuals were examined relative to sub- and total-alienation scores as measured by the Dean Alienation Scale. Subjects were 38 older adults and 42 college students. The young adults felt more isolated than the elderly, and nursing home residents felt more powerless and normless than either young adults or independent elderly. The least alienated group were the independent elderly, and young adults felt more normless and alienated than did the independent elderly. There were no significant differences between the groups for scores on total alienation. (Author)