David C. Morris

A Survey of Age and Attitudes toward Computers.

This study examines the relationships between age, education, sex, and household income, and attitudes toward computers. An eight-item Likert scale was developed to measure the attitudes (the “Computer Orientation Scale”). The Spearman-Brown coefficient for the scale is .733; Alpha is .728. Regression analysis revealed that sex and household income had no direct effect on the attitude variable. Age and education however, showed direct effects on computer attitudes. In addition, age was indirectly linked through education. The data were collected by interviews with a large, randomly selected phone sample (N = 380). The sample was chosen by a computer program which makes selections on the basis of the proportion of blocks and exchanges in service in the sampling area. The study was conducted during the Autumn of 1986, throughout the Muncie/Delaware County area of East-Central Indiana, a.k.a. Middletown, U.S.A.

Church Attendance, Religious Activities, and the Life Satisfaction of Older Adults in Middletown, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT The central focus of this study is to examine the patterns and relationships which may or may not exist between religious attendance and activity, sex, health, income, and age with regard to the sense of subjective well-being as expressed by older Middletowners. Based on a random sample of 400 persons, 60 years of age and older, a multiple regression analysis reveals that three variables account for the vast majority of variance in life satisfaction. Those variables are: SUBJECTIVE HEALTH STATUS, SATISFACTION WITH INCOME, and CHURCH ATTENDANCE. For those three variables R = .4780; R2 = .2284. When all seven independent variables were included R = .4851; R2 = .2351. In addition, further analysis was undertaken to examine the interrelationships between the seven independent variables.

The Internet as an Information Resource for Older Adults

Three developments or trends that exemplify modern, post-industrial societies are: the invention and proliferation of the Personal Computer, the emergence of the Internet as a technological and social force, and the inexorable aging of our and other populations. The principle focus of this article is an examination, analysis, and critique of current Web sites that are directed primarily at the interest and concerns of older adults. The article offers practical suggestions for improvement in Web sites that will promote their use by older adults, thus linking and integrating older users into an increasingly technological and communication-oriented society.

Older Adults' Perceptions of Dr. Kevorkian in Middletown, U.S.A.

This article focuses upon whether 422 randomly selected older adults believe that Dr. Jack Kevorkian should or should not be prosecuted. The study was conducted by Ball State Universitys Department of Sociology in the Lynds classic community setting of “Middletown,” a.k.a. Muncie, Indiana. The findings indicate that a majority of the respondents do not support prosecuting Kevorkian and also feel that the terminally-ill have the right to end their own lives. Of eight variables included in the initial analysis, four were found to explain most of the variance in attitudes toward prosecuting Dr. Kevorkian. Those variable are: attitudes on taking ones life to end suffering, political liberalism-conservatism, education and frequency of church attendance (R = 0.5331; R2 = 0.2842). Those who favor the right to take ones life to end suffering, who see themselves as politically liberal, who are more educated and who attend church less frequently, tend to oppose prosecution. A multivariate path analysis examines interrelationships between the eight variables previously mentioned.

Mainframe Administered Drill and Practice Quizzes for Gerontology Classes

The main focus of this article is the development of a CBE program for the administration of drill and practice quizzes in an introductory gerontology course. The programs are written in DECs C.A.S. source language and are administered on the VAX 11/785 mainframe central processing unit. The program and its operations are described in detail. Those wishing to obtain copies of the program may directly contact the author.

Computers, Quantitative Methods and the Teaching of Sociology: A New Approach to an Old Problem

There is a growing awareness in the social sciences that college level course work should offer not only substantive materials but should also acquaint students with research methods and techniques relevant to the particular discipline. This article presents information concerning the development of computer based research materials designed to meet these needs. The study upon which this article is based demonstrates that while there is a definite need for quantitative methods and an understanding of computer based data analysis in an undergraduate Sociology curriculum, the effective implementation of both requires the creation of a non-threatening learning environment.