Adjustment of high school seniors and the marital adjustment of their parents in a Southern California city

Citation preview

ADJUSTMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND THE MARITAL ADJUSTMENT OF THEIR PARENTS IN A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CITY

A D isse rta tio n P re se n te d to t h e F a c u l t y o f t h e D e p a rtm e n t o f S o c i o l o g y The U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a

In P a r t i a l F u lfillm e n t o f t h e R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e D e g re e D o cto r o f P h ilo s o p h y

by A u b re y B a e r H a r t e r J u n e 1930

UMI Number: DP31707

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.

Dissertai&n Publishing

UMI DP31707 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code

ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 81 0 6- 1346

p k,

0.

5 *>

'so H 3 a r

TAw dissertation, written by Aub r ^ Baer Harter

is under the guidance of h Faculty Committee on Studies, and approved by all its members, has been presented to and accepted by the Council on Graduate Study and Research, in partial ful­ fillment of requirements for the degree of D O C T O R OF P H IL O S O P H Y

___ Date

May..l5*~12Sa................

Committee on Studies

N Chairman

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER

PAGE

I . - " THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS

OFTERMS USED . .

1

The p r o b l e m .............................................................. S ta te m e n t o f th e p ro b lem Im p o rta n c e o f th e

1

........................

»

s t u d y .......................................

D e f i n i t i o n s o f t e r m s u s e d ..................... . . . M a r ita l a d ju stm e n t

1 2

................................................

2

A d j u s t m e n t ....................................................................

4

O r g a n iz a tio n o f re m a in d e r o f t h e s i s II.

1

. . . .

3

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON.MARITAL .........................................................................

6

E a r l y s t u d i e s ....................................................................

6

...............................................................

7

ADJUSTMENT

R ecent s tu d ie s

The p r e d i c t i o n and m e a su re m e n t o f m a r i t a l h a p p in e ss

...............................................................

The m e a su re m e n t o f

h a p p in e ss in g e n e ra l .

10

The B u r g e s s - C o t t r e l l

and Terman S t u d i e s . .

11

The w ork o f B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l The w o rk o f Term an III.

7

. . . .

and h i s a s s o c i a t e s

12 ..

METHODS AND MATERIALS U S E D ........................................ M e th o d s

..............................................................

Q u e stio n n aire s

..........................................................

D is trib u tio n of q u e stio n n a ire s

....................

23 26 26 26 30

iii CHAPTER

PAGE The m e a su re m e n t o f m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t . . . M a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t i t e m s .......................

33

S c o rin g o f ite m s i n th e p r e s e n t s tu d y . .

37

V a lid ity of p resen t

38

s c o r i n g m eth o d . . .

The m e a s u re m e n t o f t e m p e r a m e n t .............. IV .

32

THE SAMPLE AND SUB-GROUPS

40

....................

44

S e l e c t i o n of t h e s a m p l e .................................

44

The p o p u l a t i o n ...............................................

44

s a m p l e ............................

44

The s i z e o f t h e

S o c i a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e s a m p le . . .

47

Age o f p a r e n t s ................................................ E d u c a tio n o f p a r e n t s

47

............................................

N a t i o n a l i t y .........................................................

47 48

R e l i g i o n .................................................... F a m ily s t a t u s

48

...............................................................

48

S i z e o f f a m i l i e s ...........................................

3i

Number o f m o t h e r s w o r k i n g ........................

31

S o c io -ec o n o m ic s t a t u s o f t h e s t u d e n t

. .

31

F a m ily i n c o m e .....................................................

32

Home o w n e r s h i p ................................................

32

O c c u p a tio n o f f a t h e r s Q u e stio n n a ire r e tu r n s

.......................................

33

.................................................

34

iv CHAPTER

PAGE P e rc e n ta g e of r e tu r n s

............................................

I m p lic a tio n s o f p e rc e n ta g e of r e tu r n s E v a l u a t i o n o f tb e B u b -g ro u p s o f t h e

V.

54

. .

55

p e rc en ta g e of r e tu r n s *

56

s a m p l e ............................

58

N eed f o r h o m o g e n e i t y .................................

58

S i z e o f s u b - g r o u p s ......................................

58

F I N D I N G S ........................................................................

60

M a r ita l a d ju s tm e n t

.....................................................

S t a b i l i t y o f m a r i t a l a d ju stm e n t

60

. . . .

60

R e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n m o t h e r s 1 a d j u s t m e n t and f a t h e r s ’ a d ju s tm e n t t o th e m a rria g e

65

S tu d e n ts’ a b i l i t y to r a t e p a re n ts ’ m a r r i a g e ..........................................................

68

Tem peram ent o f p a r e n t a n d c h i l d ..............

71

P a r e n t - c h i l d resem b lan c e

..................................

M a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t a n d te m p e r a m e n t

75

. . . .

80

The s p o u s e ’ s m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t and h i s t e m p e r a m e n t .....................................................

81

The p a r e n t ’ s m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t an d t h e c h i l d ’ s te m p e r a m e n t ............................................

50

The te m p e ra m e n t o f t h e h i g h s c h o o l s e n i o r and h i s i m p r e s s i o n o f h i s p a r e n t s ’ m a r i t a l a d ju stm e n t

...................................................... 54

V

CHAPTER

PAGE C h i l d r e n fro m b r o k e n homes c o m p a red i n te m p e r a m e n t w i t h c h i l d r e n fro m u n b r o k e n h o m e s ..............................................................................

V I.

93

SUMMARY AND CONCLU SION S......................................................

100

S u m m a r y ........................................................................................

100

The p r o b l e m and i t s b a c k g r o u n d ...........................

100

The u n i v e r s e an d s a m p l e ......................................

104

The m e th o d s a n d m a t e r i a l s u s e d ..........................

106

The f i n d i n g s ...................................................................

107

C o n c l u s i o n s ............................................................. BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................. APPENDIX I

Ill 113

.................................................................................................

121

APPENDIX I I ............................................................................................

134

APPENDIX I I I ............................................................................................

140

V

APPENDIX IV

. .

...................................................................................

147

LIST 0? TABLES TABLE I. II. III. IV .

PAGE The G u ilfo rd -Z im m e rm a n T em peram ent S u r v e y ♦ .

42

E d u c a t i o n a l L e v e l o f P a r e n t s ........................ F a th ers*

O c c u p a tio n a l C l a s s i f i c a t i o n

50

. . . .

55

Change i n H a p p i n e s s o f P a r e n t s D u r in g L i f e ­ t im e o f H ig h S c h o o l S e n i o r .........................

V.

62

C o r r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n R e p o r t s o f P a r e n t s and S t u d e n t s on t h e P a r e n t s * M a r i t a l A d ju s tm e n t

V I.

69

C o r r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n T em peram ent T r a i t s o f P a r e n t a n d A d o l e s c e n t ........................................

V II.

74

M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t and T em peram ent o f S p o u s e s .........................................................................

V III.

M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t and T em peram ent o f Spouses ( C o r r e la tio n of s c a le d

IX .

81

scores)

.

84

M a r i t a l A d ju s tm e n t o f P a r e n t and T em peram ent o f C h i l d .....................................................................

X.

.

,9J>

T e m p e ra m e n ta l D i f f e r e n c e s b e tw e e n S t u d e n t s fr o m B ro k e n Homes an d S t u d e n t s f r o m U n brok en Homes

X I.

..................................................................................

99

T em peram ent and M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t ( a s re la te d

t o t r a i t s ) .............................................

110

LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1*

Age D i s t r i b u t i o n o f P a r e n t s .......................................

PAGE 4?

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED S o c i o l o g i s t s and t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e q u e s t i o n o f j u s t how a c h i l d ' s p e r s o n a l and s o c i a l a d j u s t m e n t s may be r e l a t e d t o t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t o f h i s p a r e n t s , and w h e th er t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p i s c l o s e r th a n t h e m ore d i r e c t a s s o c i a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f p a r e n t and c h i l d . I.

THE PROBLEM

S ta te m e n t o f th e p ro b le m .

The p u r p o s e o f t h i s

stu d y

was t o d e t e r m i n e t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n t h e a d j u s t m e n t o f h ig h sc h o o l s e n i o r s and t h e m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t o f t h e i r p a r e n t s i n a S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a c i t y . p o t h e s e s w e re f o r m u l a t e d :

ju stm e n t of t h e i r p a r e n t s , (3 ) t h e

..

t h a t th e a d ju s tm e n t o f h ig h

school se n io rs is d ir e c tly r e la te d to

p a r e n t s , and

F iv e p o s i t i v e h y -

(1) th e m a r i t a l a d ­

(2 ) t h e p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f t h e i r

s t u d e n t 's im p re ss io n o f h i s p a r e n t s '

m a r ita l a d ju s tm e n t; t h a t

(4) t h e s t u d e n t ' s i m p r e s s i o n o f

h i s p a r e n t s ' m a r i ta l a d ju stm e n t i s v e ry c lo s e to c o r r e c t ; and t h a t

(*j) t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t o f e a c h p a r e n t i s p o s i ­

t i v e l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h i s o r h e r own p e r s o n a l i t y . Im p o rta n c e o f th e s t u d y .

The s t u d y g a i n s i t s im ­

p o r t a n c e m a i n l y fro m t h e l i g h t i t may t h r o w on some b a s i c

2 s o c io lo g ic a l c o n c e p ts .

I t is a s p e c if ic in q u iry in to th e

p ro c e ss of s o c ia l i n t e r a c t i o n a s i t f u n c tio n s in th e fa m ily situ a tio n .

P e rso n t o p e rso n r e l a t i o n s h i p s and p erso n t o

group r e l a t i o n s h i p s a r e s tu d i e d .

The p r o c e s s o f s o c i a l i z a ­

t i o n i s i l l u s t r a t e d a s te m p e ra m e n t r e a c t s w i t h te m p e r a m e n t in th e p rim a ry g ro u p o f th e f a m i ly , and a t t i t u d e s t h e r e a s s im ila te d f in d a p la c e in th e p e r s o n a l i ty .

I t i s in th e s e

b ro ad e r im p lic a tio n s t h a t th e h y p o th eses f in d t h e i r t r u e c o n c e p t u a l fram e w o rk and h a v e t h e i r r e a l m ean in g and im p o r ­ tan c e a s s o c io lo g ic a l d a ta . The s t u d y i s i m p o r t a n t a l s o a s a n o u t g r o w t h o f p r e v i o u s r e s e a r c h i n t h e f i e l d , a n d may s e r v e t o c o r r o b o r a t e o r s u p p le m e n t o t h e r t h e o r i e s , e x te n d o r l i m i t t h e i r a p p l i c a ­ t i o n t o new p o p u l a t i o n s . F i n a l l y , t i f e r e i s a g ro w in g demand f o r c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f th e p ro b lem s t u d i e d .

C o u r s e s on m a r r i a g e a n d t h e f a m i l y

a r e b e co m in g m ore a n d m ore p r e v a l e n t i n h i g h s c h o o l s and c o lle g e s.

The q u e s t i o n s a r e h i g h l y c o n t r o v e r s i a l , a n d

f a c t u a l in fo rm a tio n i s g r e a t ly needed to a id th e

stu d e n t in

t h i s r e l a t i v e l y new a r e a o f s t u d y . II.

DEFINITIONS OF TEEMS USED

M a r ita l A d ju stm en t.

M a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t may be

d e f i n e d a s a p r o c e s s o f a cc o m m o d atio n a n d c o n f l i c t i n a n

3> i n t i m a t e r e l a t i o n s h i p , e n c o m p a s s in g deep r o o t e d p e r s o n a l i t y n e e d s o f h u s b a n d and w i f e .

Where t h e s e n e e d s a r e l e f t o u t

o f t h e m a r r i a g e , a d j u s t m e n t i s s h a l l o w and b r i n g s l i t t l e s a t i s f a c t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h t h e r e b e no c o n f l i c t .

Where t h e s e

n e e d s a r e m e t , t h e r e i s g ro w th a n d a s s i m i l a t i o n o f t h e p e r ­ s o n a l i t i e s i n t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f common i n t e r e s t s . From t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f a s s i m i l a t i o n , a d j u s t m e n t i s t o be d e f i n e d a s t h e i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e c o u p l e i n a u n i o n i n w h ic h t h e two p e r s o n a l i t i e s a r e n o t m e r e l y m e rg e d , o r su b m e rg e d , b u t i n t e r a c t t o com plem ent e a c h o t h e r f o r m u t u a l s a t i s f a c t i o n and th e a c h i e v e m e n t o f common o b j e c t i v e s . The e m p h a s is i s u p o n i n t e r ­ c o m m u n ic a tio n , i n t e r s t i m u l a t i o n , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n common a c t i v i t i e s . More s i m p l y , ”A w e l l a d j u s t e d m a r r i a g e may be d e f i n e d a s one i n w h ic h t h e p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v i o r o f t h e two p e r s o n s a r e p m u tu a lly s a t i s f y i n g . ” More a c c u r a t e l y , h o w e v e r , i t may b e k e p t i n mind t h a t a c o n c e p t c a n n o t b e a r b i t r a r i l y d e f i n e d if it

i s r e p r e s e n t e d by a s c o r e on a s c a l e .

The o p e r a t i o n a l

d e f i n i t i o n , i n t h i s e a s e , c a n be none o t h e r t h a n t h a t i n ­ h e r e n t i n th e ite m s o f th e m easu rin g d e v ic e u s e d .

M a rita l

a d ju s tm e n t i s w h a te v e r i s m easured by th e m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t sc a le .

And t h e r e a d e r may b e s t g e t a n i d e a o f w h a t e v e r t h i s

S . W. B u r g e s s and L . S. C o t t r e l l , J r . , P r e d i c t i n g S u c c e s s o r F a i l u r e i n M a r r ia g e (New Y o rk : P r e n t i c e - H a l l , I n c . , 1939) > P . 1 0 . 2I b i d . , p . 4 7 .

i s by c a r e f u l l y e x a m in in g t h e i t e m s o f t h e s c a l e . a p p e n d ix .) te re sts,

(S ee

T h ese i t e m s w i l l be s e e n t o b e com m unity o f i n ­

l a c k o f c o n f l i c t , a n d s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h one a n o t h e r

and t h e m a r r i a g e .

I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t L e w is M.

Term an u s e d p r e c i s e l y t h e same s c a l e w i t h v e r y m in o r c h a n g e s t o m e a s u r e Mm a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s . ” A d ju stm en t.

S o c i o lo g i c a l ly , a d ju stm e n t i s in c o n ­

c e i v a b l e a p a r t f ro m t h e s p e c i f i c s i t u a t i o n .

Sach s i t u a t i o n

i s u n i q u e a n d a d j u s t m e n t m u st v a r y a c c o r d i n g l y i f i t i s d y n a m ic .

I n t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y no a t t e m p t t o m e a s u r e su c h

a c t u a l a d j u s t m e n t i s m ade.

T he t e r m i s u s e d i n i t s p s y c h o ­

l o g i c a l o r a b s t r a c t c o n n o t a t i o n an d means p o t e n t i a l a d j u s t ­ m ent o r p r o b a b l e a d j u s t m e n t , a l l t h i n g s b e i n g e q u a l . m a in p u r p o s e i s t o

Its

s e p a ra te o u t th e g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e s and

b e h a v i o u r p a t t e r n s commonly te r m e d p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s fro m t h e s p e c i f i c and s i t u a t i o n a l a c c o m m o d atio n o f o n e p e r s o n t o a n o th e r in th e i n s t i t u t i o n o f m a rria g e .

I n k e ep in g w ith

t h i s id e a t h a t a d ju stm e n t i s r e f l e c t e d i n p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s , a te m p e r a m e n t o r t r a i t a d ju stm e n t:

s c a l e was u s e d t o m e a s u re

t h e G u i l f o r d - Zimmerman Tem perament S u r v e y .

P e r s o n a l a d ju s tm e n t, e m o tio n a l a d ju s tm e n t, and s o c i a l a d ­ j u s t m e n t a r e m e a s u r e d on t h i s s c a l e w i t h t e n r e l a t e d fa c to rs.

T h ese s p e c i f i c f a c t o r s a r e d e f i n e d i n t h e d i s ­

c u s s i o n o f t h e te m p e r a m e n t s c a l e i n C h a p te r I I I .

ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THESIS In th e re m a in d e r o f th e t h e s i s th e l i t e r a t u r e w i l l be rev ie w ed f o r s i g n i f i c a n t h y p o th e s e s i n t h e a re a o f t h i s s t u d y ; t h e m a t e r i a l s u s e d w i l l be a n a l y z e d ; t h e u n i v e r s e w i l l be d e s c r i b e d and t h e m ethod o f d e r i v i n g t h e sam p le th e re fro m c o n sid e re d ; th e p re se n te d s t a t i s t i c a l l y ; and c o n c lu d e d .

f i n d in g s o f t h e stu d y w i l l be and th e

s t u d y w i l l b e su m m arized

CHAPTER I I REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON MARITAL ADJUSTMENT

I .

EARLY STUDIES \

Two e x c e l l e n t a n d c o n c i s e r e v i e w s o f a l l p e r t i n e n t r e s e a r c h i n t h e f i e l d w e r e p u b l i s h e d i n 1939*

One w a s

“M e th o d o lo g y an d R e s u l t s o f R e c e n t S t u d i e s i n M a r i t a l Ad1 j u s t m e n t , ” by L . M. Term an a n d W. B . J o h n s o n . I n i t w e re rev ie w ed th e p io n e e r s t u d i e s o f D a v is , H a m ilto n , B e rn a rd , D i c k e n s o n , S a i l e r , W a tso n , K i r k p a t r i c k , a n d t h e M o w rers, a n d th e l a t e r

s t u d i e s o f B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l , T erm an, a n d K e l l y

The p r o b l e m , p o p u l a t i o n , m e th o d o lo g y , i n d i c e s o f m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t , a n d m a jo r f i n d i n g s o f e a c h s t u d y w e re sum m arized and a l l c o n c l u s i o n s w e re com pared w i t h t h o s e o f t h e Terman stu d y fo r c o rro b o ra tio n or la c k o f i t .

M ethod o f a n a l y z i n g

d a t a , use o f s t a t i s t i c s or c ase stu d y m a t e r i a l , and r e l i ­ a b i l i t y o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s w e re a l s o c r i t i c i z e d . The o t h e r r e v i e w , p u b l i s h e d i n t h e same y e a r an d c o v e r i n g s u b s t a n t i a l l y t h e same s t u d i e s , w as t h e “R e v ie w o f S tu d ie s o f P r e d i c t i o n o f M a r i ta l A d ju stm en t” i n th e l a s t c h a p te r o f B urgess and C o t t r e l l ’s P r e d i c t i n g S u c c e ss or

L . M. Terman a n d W. B. J o h n s o n , “M e th o d o lo g y and R e s u l t s o f R e c e n t S t u d i e s i n M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t , ” A m e ric a n S o c i o l o g i c a l R e v ie w , 4 : 3 0 7 - 2 4 , J u n e 1 9 3 9 .

7 F a i l u r e in M a rria g e .

Of s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t i n t h i s r e p o r t

w as a c h a r t c o m p a rin g t h e f i n d i n g s o f t h e d i f f e r e n t s t u d i e s , n e c e s s a r i l y i n t h e c h a r t t h e v a r i o u s s t u d i e s w ere p l a c e d a l l on a p a r w i t h r e g a r d t o r e l i a b i l i t y o f f i n d i n g s , a n d d i f f e r ­ e n c e s o f m e th o d , v a l i d i t y ,

c rite ria ,

o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n had t o be ig n o re d .

s a m p le , a n d c a r e f u l n e s s N e v e rth e le ss, th e

t a b u l a t i o n p r e s e n t e d t h e summary f i n d i n g s w i t h g r a p h i c c la rity . An a n a l y s i s o f t h i s c h a r t shows t h a t i n v e s t i ­ g a t o r s h a v e f o u n d 35 d i f f e r e n t p r e m a r i t a l i t e m s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h m a r i t a l s u c c e s s . Of t h e s e i t e m s , 18 h a v e b e e n r e p o r t e d b y tw o o r m ore s t u d i e s , w h i l e 33 h a v e b e e n fo u n d i n o n l y one s t u d y . The f a c t t h a t t w o - t h i r d s o f t h e i t e m s w e re f o u n d t o h a v e some s i g n i f i c a n c e by o n l y one i n v e s t i g a t o r i s due i n o n l y two o r t h r e e i n s t a n c e s t o c o n f l i c t i n g f i n d i n g s . It •c a n b e a t t r i b u t e d r a t h e r t o t h e f a c t t h a t d i f f e r e n t s tu d e n ts se le c te d d if f e r e n t p re m a rita l ite m s .* P e r h a p s th e c o n f l i c t o f f i n d i n g s r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e c h a r t w a s u n d e r s t a t e d i n t h e l a s t tw o s e n t e n c e s o f t h i s q u o ta tio n .

T h ro u g h o u t t h e a r t i c l e b y Term an a n d J o h n s o n ,

w h ere r e f e r e n c e i s made t o f i n d i n g s and c o n c l u s i o n s o f o t h e r s t u d i e s , a f r e q u e n t p h r a s e i s wn o t c o n f ir m e d b y o u r s t u d y . ” II.

RECENT STUDIES

The p r e d i c t i o n a n d m e a su re m e n t o f m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s . S i n c e t h e d a t e o f t h e B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l a n d Terman

2 fcE . W. B u r g e s s an d L . S . C o t t r e l l , PP. 3 5 7 -5 9 .

J r.,

op. p i t . ,

8 stu d ie s,

s e v e r a l l a r g e p r o j e c t s h a v e b e e n u n d e r way b u t no

r e p o r t s have a s y e t been p u b lis h e d .

H a r v e y J . L ocke h a s

b e e n w o r k in g on a s t u d y w h ic h h e e x p e c t s to h a v e r e a d y f o r p u b lic a tio n v ery soon.

From two p r e l i m i n a r y a r t i c l e s t h a t

h a v e a p p e a r e d , i t may b e s e e n t h a t h i s s t u d y h a s two u n i q u e f e a t u r e s , b e in g p a r t i c u l a r l y

s t r i n g e n t i n s a m p li n g t e c h n i q u e

an d t h e u s e o f c o n t r o l g r o u p s , and c h o o s i n g i t s

su b je c ts

fro m t h e m i d d l e r a t h e r t h a n t h e u p p e r l e v e l s o f t h e p o p u l a ­ t i o n i n e d u c a ti o n a l and so c io -e c o n o m ic s ta tu s .- ^ s tu d ie s are of a lo n g itu d in a l n a tu re .

Two o t h e r

E. L o w e l l K e l l y M s

b e e n a t w ork on s u c h a p r o j e c t s i n c e 1 9 3 1 •

A t t h a t tim e h e

i n t e r v i e w e d a n d e x t e n s i v e l y t e s t e d some s e v e r a l h u n d r e d e n ­ g a g e d c o u p l e s who a g r e e d t o be p a r t o f a l o n g i t u d i n a l s t u d y an d s u b m it t o f u r t h e r q u e s t i o n i n g a t p e r i o d i c i n t e r v a l s d u rin g t h e i r m a rria g e s . a r t i c l e s on t h e p r o j e c t ;

So f a r he h a s p u b l i s h e d o n l y a fe w he found a c o r r e l a t i o n of a b o u t

, 3 0 b e tw e e n s c o r e s a s p r e d i c t e d b e f o r e m a r r i a g e an d a d j u s t ­

m ent s c o r e s d e t e r m i n e d tw o y e a r s a f t e r m a r r i a g e , on T erm an1s sc a le .

3 ^ H arv e y J . L o c k e , " P r e d i c t i n g M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t b y C om paring a D i v o r c e d a n d a H a p p i l y M a r r i e d G r o u p ," A m e ric a n S o c i o l o g i c a l R e v ie w , 1 2 : 1 8 7 - 9 1 , A p r i l 1 9 4 7 ; and " P r e d i c t i n g S u c c e s s o r F a i l u r e i n M a r r i a g e : A C o m p a ris o n o f a D i v o r c e d and a H a p p i l y M a r r i e d G ro u p ," R e s e a r c h S t u d i e s , S t a t e C o l l e g e o f W ash in g to n , 1 5 : 169- 7 4 , 1947.

9 P a u l W a l l i n an d 1 . W. B u r g e s s h a v e b e e n w o r k i n g on a l o n g i t u d i n a l s t u d y w h ic h i s t o be c a l l e d "One T h o u sa n d En­ gaged C o u p le s ."

T hey h a v e r e p o r t e d f i n d i n g s c o n f i r m i n g t h e i r

h y p o t h e s e s o f homogamy i n p e r s o n a l i t y f a c t o r s a n d homogamy i n s o c i a l b ackground f a c t o r s *

The p e r s o n a l i t y c o r r e l a t e s

a r e v e ry s l i g h t i n d e g re e , th ough s t a t i s t i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t , 4 a v e ra g in g P e a rs o n ia n c o e f f i c i e n t s o f .13• The b a c k g r o u n d f a c t o r s w ere f o u n d t o c o r r e l a t e a l i t t l e h i g h e r , a v e r a g i n g 5 an r o f a b o u t .2 1 . They, t o o , fo u n d s u p p o rt f o r t h e i r p r e d i c t i o n s c a l e i n t h e c o r r e l a t i o n s o f .4 3 ± *04 f o r men a n d .4 1 ± .0 4 f o r women b e tw e e n p r e d i c t i o n s c o r e s b e f o r e m a r r i a g e and s c o r e s f o r a d j u s t m e n t two y e a r s a f t e r m a r r i a g e . Two o t h e r i n t e r e s t i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s h a v e b e e n u n d e r w ay.

One i s t h e s e a r c h f o r p o s i t i v e a r e a s o f m a r i t a l a d ­

j u s t m e n t t o make up f o r a c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f n e g a t i v e e l e m e n t s i n t h e B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l an d T erm an s c a l e s .

C h a rle s E.

4

B u r g e s s a n d W a l l i n , "Homogamy i n P e r s o n a l i t y C h a r­ a c t e r i s t i c s , " J o u r n a l A b norm al P s y c h o l o g y , 39: 4 7 5 - 8 1 , O c to b e r, 1944. 3

B u r g e s s and W a l l i n , "Homogamy i n S o c i a l C h a r a c t e r ­ i s t i c s , " A m e ric a n J o u r n a l o f S o c i o l o g y , 4 9 : 1 0 9 - 2 4 , S e p te m ­ b e r , 1943" c B u rg ess and W a llin , " P r e d i c t i n g A d ju stm en t i n M a r r i a g e fro m A d j u s t m e n t i n E n g a g e m e n t," A m e ric a n J o u r n a l o f S o c io lo g y , 4 9 :3 2 4 -3 0 , J a n u a r y , 1 9 4 4 .,

c

10 Bowerman i n a d o c t o r a l d i s s e r t a t i o n p u b l i s h e d a t C h ic a g o n U n i v e r s i t y , 1949, s p e c i f i c a l l y a tt a c k e d t h i s p r o b le m ,' The l e a d i n t h i s s t u d y w as p i c k e d up f r o m th e o r i g i n a l s t a t e ­ m en t o f t h e p r o b l e m b y T erm an, h i m s e l f . I t s h o u l d b e p o i n t e d o u t , h o w e v e r, t h a t a h i g h s c o r e i s l e s s a m e a s u r e o f t h e e x t e n t t o w h ic h a s u b ­ j e c t i s happy th a n of th e d e g re e o f c e r t a i n t y t h a t he i s n o t u n h a p p y . Our i t e m s h a v e p r o b e d more f o r symptoms o f u n h a p p in e ss th a n f o r p o s i t i v e s ig n s o f h a p p in e s s . F o r i n s t a n c e , 92 p o i n t s a r e a w a r d e d f o r a n s w e r s t h a t a r e in e f f e c t n e g a tio n s: la c k of r e g r e t over m a rria g e , la c k o f c o n te m p la tio n o f s e p a r a tio n or d iv o rc e , la c k o f c r i t i c i s m o f t h e s p o u s e , e t c . . . . We w culd d o u b t l e s s h a v e done b e t t e r t o h a v e c h o s e n o r p h r a s e d o u r i t e m s so a s t o a l l o w t h e s p o u s e s m ore s c o p e f o r e x p r e s s i o n s o f e n th u s ia s m and d e l i g h t o v er t h e m a rria g e and o f a f f e c ­ t i o n and p r a i s e f o r th e p a r t n e r . T h i s w ould p r o b a b l y h a v e p r o v i d e d m ore ’t o p ’ f o r t h e t e s t a n d h a v e r e s u l t e d i n l e s s jamming o f s c o r e s a t t h e u p p e r end o f t h e s c a l e b u t w o u ld n o t o h a v e e l i m i n a t e d a l l sk e w n e ss f r o m t h e d istrib u tio n . The m easu rem e n t o f h a p p i n e s s i n g e n e r a l . i n t e r e s t i n g d e v e lo p m e n t i s

A second

t h e e x p e r i m e n t a l w ork b e i n g d one

a t Duke U n i v e r s i t y on t h e F u p h o r i m e t e r s c a l e s .

T h e se p u r ­

p o r t t o m e a s u r e a p e r s o n ’ s g e n e r a l h a p p i n e s s l e v e l and a l s o h i s a t - t h e - m o m e n t h a p p i n e s s i n much t h e same m an n e r a s t h e I . ■Q. t e s t s m e a s u r e a p e r s o n ’ s g e n e r a l i n t e l l i g e n c e l e v e l .

7 C h a r l e s S. Bowerman, The M easu rem en t o f A r e a s o f Adj u s t m e n t i n M a r r i a g e , 230 p . , "“U n i v e r s i t y ot C h ica g o L i b r a r i e s , 1949.

8

L e w is M. T erm an, P s y c h o l o g i c a l F a c t o r s i n M a r i t a l H a p p i n e s s (New Y o rk : M c G ra w -H ill Book Company, 19 3 8 ) , p . 64. -

11 A s c o r e o f z e r o d e s i g n a t e s t h e d i v i d i n g l i n e b e tw e e n t h e happy and th e unhappy p e rs o n .

A s c o r e o f 100 i s a v e r a g e .

An a d v a n t a g e o f t h e s e s c a l e s i s t h a t h a p p i n e s s i s e x p r e s s e d a s so many S u p h o r u n i t s , a n d t h i s s t a n d a r d i z a t i o n m akes p o s s i b l e d i r e c t c o m p a r is o n o f t h e f i n d i n g s o f d i f f e r e n t s t u d i e s when t h e y a r e t r a n s l a t e d i n t o t h e s e same l u p h o r u n its.

A second a d v a n ta g e i s th e d i s t i n c t i o n a llo w a b le

b e tw e e n a t - t h e - m o m e n t h a p p i n e s s a n d t h e u s u a l l e v e l o r in - th e - lo n g - r u n h a p p in e ss.

The s c a l e s h a v e b e e n s t a n d a r d ­

i z e d on some 2 ,2 0 0 p e r s o n s fr o m v a r i o u s w a l k s o f l i f e and in d i f f e r e n t g e o g ra p h ic a l a re a s of th e c o u n try .

A c c o r d in g

to th e e x p e rim e n te rs i t h as f a i r l y h ig h r e l i a b i l i t y v a lid ity .

and

I t i s re m a rk a b ly s h o r t and sim p le t o a d m i n i s t e r .

It is s till

i n p r o c e s s o f b e i n g v a l i d a t e d on l a r g e r and

l a r g e r g r o u p s , a n d t h e m ain p r o b l e m o f c a l i b r a t i n g t h e s c a l e and s t a n d a r d i z i n g th e u n i t h a s n o t been a d e q u a te ly s o lv e d . H o r n e l l H a r t h a s p u b l i s h e d two b o o k s on t h e s u b j e c t ;

A

C h art f o r H a p p in e s s , 1940, w r i t t e n e n t i r e l y ab o u t th e d e v e lo p m e n t and l o g i c o f t h e Duke U n i v e r s i t y e x p e r i m e n t s on th e e u p h o rim e te r, and P e r s o n a l i t y and th e F a m ily , 194?, a more c o m p r e h e n s iv e w ork t h a t b r i n g s t o g e t h e r t h e f i n d i n g s o f many s t u d i e s b u t i s n o t a r e p o r t o f r e s e a r c h i n i t s e l f . III.

THE BURGESS-COTTRELL AND TERMAN STUDIES

Two o u t s t a n d i n g b o o k s n e e d s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n f o r

12 t h e i r im p o rtan c e t o th e p r e s e n t s tu d y :

P r e d ic tin g Suecess

o r F a i l u r e i n M a r r i a g e by B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l , a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l F a c t o r s i n M a r i t a l H a p p i n e s s by Term an and h i s a s s o c ia te s a t S ta n fo rd ,

Hot o n l y a r e t h e s e t h e tw o m a j o r

f o u n d a t i o n s t o n e s i n t h e f i e l d of m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t , i t s p r e d i c t i o n a n d m e a s u r e m e n t, b u t t h e

s c a le u sed to m easure

m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t i n t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y w as t a k e n fro m t h e s e o t h e r w o rk s w i t h r e l a t i v e l y m in o r c h a n g e s .

C o n sta n tly

t h r o u g h o u t t h i s r e p o r t a l l u s i o n h a s b e e n made t o two w o r k s .

It

t& e se o t h e r

i s n o t n e c e s s a r y to re v ie w th e s e books, a s

t h e y a r e w e l l known t o e v e r y s t u d e n t i n t h e f i e l d , b u t a w ord o r tw o may b e i n o r d e r t o p l a c e t h i s s t u d y i n r e l a t i o n to i t s f o s te r p a re n ts. The w ork o f B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l .

The B u r g e s s an d

C o t t r e l l stu d y , w ith a l l of i t s l i m i t a t i o n s , a n d p i o n e e r i n g w o rk .

i s an o r i g i n a l

I t h a s s e v e r a l m a jo r w e a k n e s s e s i n

p o i n t o f m e th o d o l o g y , h o w e v e r , w h ic h t o p a s s b y w i t h o u t com­ m ent w ould be t o g i v e a n i m p r e s s i o n o f c o n v i n c i n g n e s s t o t h e f i n d i n g s and t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c a l e bey o n d t h a t w h ic h t h e y p r o p e r l y d e s e r v e .

And t h e s e d i s c r e p a n c i e s

l i e a t t h e h e a r t o f t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y , w h ic h u s e s t h e same m e a su re m e n t s c a l e .

One t h i n g m u st f i r s t b e s a i d i n f a v o r o f

t h e B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l a d j u s t m e n t s c a l e ;

i t was p ro b a b ly

s u p e r i o r t o a n y s i n g l e s c a l e t h a t p r e c e d e d i t , a n d may n o t

15 y e t b e s u r p a s s e d by a n y o t h e r ,

Term an b o r r o w e d h e a v i l y

from i t an d c o n s tr u c te d a s c a l e v e ry s i m i l a r t o i t , B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l d e s c r i b e d t h e i r sam p le a s u r b a n , y o u n g , n a t i v e b o r n , w h i t e , p r o t e s t a n t (75 P©r c e n t ) , w e l l e d u c a te d

( 96 p e r c e n t w i t h c o l l e g e o r g r a d u a t e t r a i n i n g ,

m ore t h a n 9 0 p e r c e n t w i t h some h i g h s e h o o l t r a i n i n g ) , m i d d l e c l a s s , w h i t e c o l l a r and p r o f e s s i o n a l , m a r r i e d f r o m one t o s i x y e a r s , w i t h s m a l l f a m i l i e s

(56 p e r c e n t h a v i n g

no c h i l d r e n a t t i m e o f s t u d y ) , a n d r e s i d i n g i n I l l i n o i s , T h a t t h e s e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a d e q u a t e l y d e s c r i b e d t h e sa m p le t h e r e c an b e no d o u b t .

But t h e i m p l i c a t i o n t h a t n a t u r a l l y

f o l l o w s , t h a t t h e sam ple a d e q u a t e l y r e p r e s e n t e d t h e g r o u p fr o m ^fifcich i t w a s d ra w n , o r a n y g ro u p i n I l l i n o i s o f sim ila r o b je c tiv e d e s c rip tio n , i s r e a l l y q u e stio n a b le . S u m m a r iz in g , t h e y s a y , A r e v i e w o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e s a m p le used in t h i s stu d y p o in ts to th e g e n e r a l c o n c lu s io n s t h a t i t i s a r o u g h l y h o m o g en e o u s, y o u n g , p r e p o n d e r ­ a n t l y n o n - n e u r o t i c , m i d d l e - c l a s s , n a t i v e - w h i t e A m e ri­ can , u rb an group. W h a te v e r d e g r e e o f v a l i d i t y t h e f i n d i n g s o f t h i s s t u d y may h a v e , t h e r e f o r e , t h e y a r e a p p l i c a b l e o n l y t o t h e s o c i a l s t r a t a fro m w h i c h t h e sa m p le h a s b e e n d ra w n . Any a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e f i n d ­ i n g s t o o t h e r g r o u p s s h o u l d b e made w i t h g r e a t c a u t i o n and i n an e x p l o r a t o r y m a n n e r .' The s t a t e m e n t s o u n d s v e r y c a r e f u l b u t t h e c h o i c e o f w o rd s i s m i s l e a d i n g , " a p p l i c a b l e o n l y t o t h e s o c i a l s t r a t a

^ B u r g e s s and G o t t r e l l ,

o p . c i t . , p . 29*

14 f ro m w h ic h t h e sam ple h a s b e e n d r a w n . 1'

S a m p le , o r f r a g m e n t ?

Does sam ple p r o p e r l y d e s c r i b e w hat one g e t s when 7000 q u e s t i o n n a i r e s a r e d i s t r i b u t e d t h r o u g h s t u d e n t s , a few s o ­ c i a l a g e n c i e s , and o t h e r s i n t e r e s t e d , 400 m a i l e d t o c o u p l e s whose d i v o r c e s w e re r e p o r t e d i n n e w s p a p e r s , 2^0 p l a c e d i n a p a r t m e n t m a i l b o x e s — and 1 3 0 0 , ( s l i g h t l y l e s s t h a n one o u t o f f i v e ) a r e r e t u r n e d , fro m w h ic h 5 $Q a r e s e l e c t e d f o r r e s id e n c y in I l l i n o i s and p r o p e r l e n g t h o f m a r r ia g e , f i n a l l y l e a v i n g £26 c o u p l e s ? f a i r l y be c a l l e d a s a m p le ? t h a t t h e y seem t o b e l o n g t o ,

Can t h e s e 526 c o u p l e s t h e n Do t h e y r e p r e s e n t t h e g ro u p o r c o u l d t h e y j u s t a s w e l l be

a t y p i c a l members o f t h a t g r o u p ?

U n l e s s t h e y c an be shown

t o be a c r o s s - s e c t i o n o r m i n i a t u r e i n some way o f t h e g ro u p fro m w h ic h t h e y w e r e d ra w n , i t i s a b r o a d a s s u m p t i o n t o s p e a k o f th em a s a sam ple a n d im a g in e t h a t t e n d e n c i e s fo u n d i n t h i s s e l e c t g ro u p may be g e n e r a l i z e d a s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e l a r g e r g r o u p fro m w h ic h t h e y w e re t a k e n .

It

is as i f

one w e re t o w a n d e r i n t o a l a r g e m a r k e t p l a e e , b u y a n a s s o r t ­ m en t o f f r u i t ,

e x am in e i t . a n d f i n d i t t o be a p p l e s , p e a r s ,

and b a n a n a s , a n d t h e n d raw c o n c l u s i o n s a b o u t t h e a p p l e s , p e a r s , and b a n a n a s s o l d i n t h a t m ark e t from a n a n a l y s i s o f t h e " s a m p le " t h a t h e h a d b o u g h t .

I f a l l o w a n c e m u st b e made

a t e v e r y s t e p i n s t a t i s t i c a l work f o r w i d e p o s s i b l e v a r i a ­ t i o n b e tw e e n t h e s a m p le a n d t h e t r u e p o p u l a t i o n when t h e

15 f o r m e r i s r i g o r o u s l y c h o s e n t o a s s u r e maximum r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , how much a l l o w a n c e m u st h e made f o r g e n e r a l i z i n g f r o m f r a g ­ m e n ts o f a p o p u l a t i o n s e l e c t e d on t h e b a s i s o f e x p e d i e n c y ? The a u t h o r s w e re w e l l a w are o f one p o s s i b l e d i s c r e p a n c y b e ­ tw e e n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e i r g r o u p and t h e p o p u l a t i o n i t was s u p p o s e d t o r e p r e s e n t , b u t o n c e s t a t e d t h e y p r o m p t l y d i s ­ m i s s e d i t f r o m m ind a s i n d e t e r m i n a b l e , a n d d i d n o t s q u a r e l y f a c e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t w h e re one d e f i n i t e s e l e c t i v e f a c ­ t o r i s a t w o rk , many s u b t l e d i f f e r e n c e s may b e o p e r a t i v e . C o n fin in g t h e i r a t t e n t i o n t o

th e d a n g e r o f o b t a i n i n g a

s e l e e t g ro u p f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f p e r s o n a l i t y c h a r ­ a c t e r i s t i c s , B u rg ess and C o t t r e l l sa y : I t h a s s o m e tim e s b e e n s t a t e d t h a t t h e s u b j e c t s w h o .r e s p o n d t o q u e s t i o n n a i r e s on p e r s o n a l m a t t e r s h a v e c e r t a i n p e r s o n a l i t y c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t w e ig h t th e re s u lts . Thus i t i s a r g u e d t h a t o n l y p e o p l e w i t h p e r s o n a l i t y p ro b lem s w i l l re s p o n d t o r e q u e s t s t h a t th e y f i l l o u t su c h f o r m s . S o - c a lle d n orm al p e o p le , i t i s s a i d , ig n o re such r e q u e s t s . I f t h i s be t r u e , t h e r e i s an u n c o n t r o l l e d b i a s i n t h i s a n d a l l o t h e r s i m i l a r s t u d i e s . A d e q u a te e v i d e n c e i s l a c k i n g t o p r o v e o r d i s ­ pro ve t h a t . a p s y c h o lo g ic a l b ia s i s p r e s e n t i n t h i s s t u d y . *L0 I f i t w e re o n l y a q u e s t i o n o f a s i n g l e i s o l a t e d d i f ­ f e r e n c e — i f d i f f e r e n c e s d i d n o t come i n c l u s t e r s — i t w o u ld b e a n o t h e r m a t t e r .

But t h e p o i n t r e m a i n s t h a t how­

e v e r p r e c i s e l y a se g m en t o f t h e u n i v e r s e i s d e s c r i b e d a n d

10I b i d . , p . 2 8 .

16 p l a c e d on t h e s o c i o - e c o n o m i c s c a l e a c c o r d i n g t o a g e , e d u c a ­ t i o n a l l e v e l , and o t h e r b a c k g ro u n d f a c t o r s ,

i t may s t i l l b e

a u n i q u e g r o u p , r e p r e s e n t i n g no r e a l p o p u l a t i o n b u t o n l y a n im a g in ary , e x tr a p o la te d p o p u la tio n .

I f i t i s n o t a ran d o m

s a m p le , b u t s e l e c t e d f r o m t h e u p p e r p e r c e n t i l e s o f t h o s e w i t h f a v o r a b l e a t t i t u d e s to w a r d f i l l i n g o u t q u e s t i o n n a i r e s fo r p e rso n a l, s c i e n t i f i c , or a b s tra c t reaso n s, i t is as l i k e l y a s n o t t o be a n a t y p i c a l g r o u p e v e n i n i t s own p o p u ­ la tio n . lik e

G eo rg e A. L u n d b e r g i s c r i t i c a l o f s t u d i e s w h ic h ,

t h e B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l w o rk , g e t l e s s t h a n t w e n t y

p e r cen t q u e stio n n a ire r e tu r n s . E x p e r i e n c e w i t h m a i l q u e s t i o n n a i r e s h a s shown t h a t c a r e l e s s l y p re p a re d sc h e d u le s d i s t r i b u t e d to th e gen­ e r a l p u b l i c y i e l d fr o m f i v e t o t w e n t y p e r c e n t r e t u r n s . We h a v e shown a l s o t h a t on a c c o u n t o f t h e v a r i a t i o n i n th e ten d en cy to respond to q u e s tio n n a ir e s , g e n e r a l i z a ­ t i o n s fro m s u c h r e s u l t s a r e p r a c t i c a l l y w o r t h l e s s . In f a c t , t h e y may b e w o rs e t h a n w o r t h l e s s , b e c a u s e t h e y f r e q u e n t l y c r e a t e t h e i m p r e s s i o n among t h e unw ary t h a t th e s u b je c t h as been stu d ie d " s c i e n t i f i c a l l y " and t h a t t h e r e s u l t s h a v e a v a l i d i t y w h ich t h e y c l e a r l y do n o t have. Such r e s u l t s a r e a c t u a l l y o f l i t t l e m ore c o n ­ s e q u e n c e t h a n t h o s e o f t h e t r a v e l e r and j o u r n a l i s t who m akes a t r i p a b r o a d o r f r o m c o a s t t o c o a s t t a l k i n g w i t h r,l o t s o f p e o p l e / 1 a t a x i d r i v e r h e r e , a g r o c e r t h e r e , a n d u s u a l l y f i n d i n g t h a t " p u b l i c o p i n i o n 11 i s p r a c t i c a l l y u n a n im o u s l y i n f a v o r t o f h i s own v i e w p o i n t * 11 A se c o n d c r i t i c i s m o f B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l * s m eth o d ­ o l o g y i s t h e s e c o n d - h a n d m anner b y w h ic h h a l f o f t h e i r d a t a

1 1 G eorge A. L u n d b e r g , S o c i a l R e s e a r c h . L o n g r e n s , G re e n a n d Company, 1946'), p . 2 0 8 .

(New Y ork:

17 w e re o b t a i n e d . each c o u p le .

A p p a r e n t l y o n l y one s c h e d u l e was s e n t t o And h i g h l y p e r s o n a l q u e s t i o n s w ere a n s w e r e d

f o r b o t h s p o u s e s by j u s t one o f th e m .

It

is d i f f i c u l t to

u n d e r s t a n d how t h e w i f e c o u ld s p e a k f o r t h e h u s b a n d i n some o f t h e s e m a t t e r s , o r t h e h u s b a n d s p e a k f o r t h e w i f e , i f he h a p p e n e d t o be t h e o n e t h a t f i l l e d o u t and s e n t i n t h e common s c h e d u l e .

It

i s e v e n m ore d i f f i c u l t t o u n d e r s t a n d

how t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s c o u l d g i v e t h e same w e i g h t t o a n s w e r s a b o u t t h e h u s b a n d ’ s a t t i t u d e s when h e v o u c h e d f o r th e m a s when s h e v o u c h e d f o r th e m , o r v i c e - v e r s a , t o a n s w e r s a b o u t t h e w i f e ’ s a t t i t u d e s w h e t h e r r e p o r t e d b y h e r o r b y h im . Yet t h i s i s

j u s t w h at was d o n e .

The q u e s t i o n n a i r e fo rm w as s o c o n s t r u c t e d t h a t one member o f a c o u p l e c o u l d r e a d i l y f i l l o u t a l l t h e ite m s w ith o u t th e a s s i s t a n c e o f th e o t h e r . Of t h e 326 q u e s t i o n n a i r e s u s e d i n t h i s s t u d y , 133 w ere f i l l e d o u t b y t h e h u s b a n d a l o n e , 317 b y t h e w i f e a l o n e , 30 b y b o t h t o g e t h e r , a n d 13 by one o r b o t h s p o u s e s w i t h t h e a s ­ s is ta n c e of an in te rv ie w e r. E le v e n s c h e d u le s c a r r i e d no s t a t e m e n t a s t o who f i l l e d th e m o u t . ^ O th er i n v e s t i g a t o r s h av e f e l t t h a t even s l i g h t de­ g r e e s o f c o l l a b o r a t i o n , a w ord o r tw o p a s s e d b e tw e e n th e m c a s u a l l y w h i l e t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w ere b e i n g f i l l e d o u t i n ­ d e p e n d e n tly by husband and w if e , a d ju stm e n t s c o r e s .

ten d e d t o i n v a l i d a t e b o th

But B u r g e s s an d C o t t r e l l c o n s i d e r one

s c o re to be a d e q u a te f o r b o th s p o u s e s .

12I b l d . , p . 1 8 .

Term an f o u n d a c o r r e ­

18 l a t i o n o f .5 9 b e tw e e n t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s o f s p o u s e s when c o l l a b o r a t i o n was r u l e d o u t . ^

E ven t h i s f i g u r e may b e e x ­

a g g e r a te d b e c a u se of t h e w e ig h tin g te c h n iq u e he u s e d , p u r ­ p o s e f u l l y w e i g h t i n g t h e i t e m s so a s t o b r i n g t h e t o t a l s c o r e s in to a s c lo s e co rresp o n d en ce a s p o s s ib l e . We h a v e i n s t e a d w e i g h t e d e a c h o f t h e n i n e i t e m s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o two c r i t e r i a ; ( 1 ) t h e a v e r a g e mag­ n i tu d e of i t s c o r r e l a t i o n w ith each o f t h e o th e r e i g h t , and (2 ) th e s i z e of th e h u sb a n d -w ife c o r r e l a t i o n f o r th e ite m i n q u e s t i o n . 1^ B ut t a k i n g T erm an ’ s f i g u r e a t i t s f a c e v a l u e , t h i s

co r­

r e l a t i o n o f .5 9 m eans t h a t t h e tw o s c o r e s a r e more i n d e p e n d e n t o f th an

d e p e n d e n t upon e a c h o t h e r . I t m eans t h a t t h e m a r i t a l

h a p p i n e s s o f one s p o u s e can

account

f o r no m ore t h a n 35 p e r

c e n t, o r about o n e - th ir d , o f th e v a ria n c e i n th e o th e r sp o u se’ s m a r ita l h a p p in e ss .

What a s t r a n g e m i x t u r e , t h e n ,

m u st b e r e p r e s e n t e d by B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l ’ s c o m p o s it e s c o r e a s s ig n e d t o t h e c o u p le a s a w h o le .

T h is sc o re i s n o t th e

a v e r a g e o f t h e s p o u s e s ’ s e p a r a t e a d j u s t m e n t s , w h ic h m ig h t be l o g i c a l i f t h e y a r e to have a s i n g l e s c o r e , b u t i t i s a s c o r e d e r i v e d i n 153 c a s e s f r o m t h e h u s b a n d f s s t a t e m e n t s , i n 317 c a s e s f r o m t h e w i f e ’ s s t a t e m e n t s , i n 30 c a s e s f ro m on e o r b o t h w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f a n i n t e r v i e w e r , a n d i n 11

■^Term an, o p . p i t . , W I b id ., p. 56.

p. 56.

c a s e s fro m s t a t e m e n t s o f u n c e r t a i n o r i g i n , A t h i r d c r i t i c i s m t h a t may b e l e v e l e d a t B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l i s t h e h i g h l y q u e s t i o n a b l e m an n e r i n w h ic h t h e y e s t a b l i s h e d t h e r e l i a b i l i t y and v a l i d i t y o f t h e a d ju stm e n t sc a le .

I t s r e l i a b i l i t y w as e s t a b l i s h e d b y f i n d i n g a :

* . . c l o s e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e b e tw e e n t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e com pu ted f ro m 66 p a i r s o f s c h e d u l e s f i l l e d o u t i n d e p e n d e n t l y b y h u s b a n d s and w i v e s . The P e a r s o n i a n c o e f f i c i e n t o f ^ c o r r e l a ti o n i s f.8 8 4 w ith a s ta n d a rd erro r of .027. J u s t w h e re t h e s e 66 p a i r s o f s c h e d u l e s came fro m i s not c le a rly in d ic a te d .

C e r t a i n l y t h e y d i d n o t come fro m

t h e sam ple o f 526 c o u p l e s u s e d i n t h e s t u d y , a s t h e r e w e re n o t t h a t many s c h e d u l e s i n t h e sa m p le f i l l e d o u t by b o t h spouses.

In a n o th e r p la c e th e a u th o r s th e m se lv e s e x p re sse d

d o u b t s a s t o t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e s e c u r e d by t h e i r r e q u e s t s t h a t t h e s c h e d u l e s be f i l l e d

o u t w i t h o u t c o l l a b o r a t i o n and

m a i l e d i n s e p a r a t e l y . ^ C o l l a b o r a t i o n w o uld e n t i r e l y v i t i a t e th e t e s t .

F i n a l l y , a c o r r e l a t i o n o f . 8 8 , though " t h i s

c o e ffic ie n t of r e l i a b i l it y desire,seem s

i s n o t so h i g h a s one m ig h t

r a t h e r f a r f e t c h e d , i n c o m p a r is o n w i t h

1 5 I b i d . , p . 70 1£ I b i d . , p. 3 8 , f o o t n o t e no. 10. 17i b i a . , p . 7 1 .

20

f i n d i n g s o f o t h e r i n v e s t i g a t o r s on t h i s p o i n t . The r e l i a b i l i t y of t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e b e in g t h u s p r e c a r i o u s l y e s t a b l i s h e d ,

i t s v a lid ity

i s th e n

d e t e r m i n e d b y c o m p a r in g t h e

s c o r e w i t h a r a t i n g o f t h e m a r­

r i a g e on a f i v e p o i n t s c a l e

( v e ry happy — happy —

a v e r a g e — u n h a p p y — v e r y u n h a p p y ) by one o f t h e s p o u s e s , t h e one t h a t f i l l e d

o u t t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e fro m w h ic h t h e

s c o r e w as o b t a i n e d . P a s s i n g o v e r t h e m an n er i n w h ic h t h e r e l i a b i l i t y o f t h i s f i v e - p o i n t r a t i n g s c a l e w as i t s e l f " e s t a b l i s h e d , "

on

t h e d e g r e e o f c o r r e s p o n d e n c e f o u n d b e tw e e n r a t i n g s o f t h e i r m a r r i a g e by h u s b a n d s a n d w i v e s u n d e r c o n d i t i o n s w h e re "we c o u l d n o t r i g o r o u s l y c o n t r o l t h e am ount o f c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e tw e e n h u s b a n d a n d w i f e "

— a more f l a g r a n t b e n d i n g o f

th e r u l e s o f l o g i c m ust b e f a c e d .

How c a n a m a r i t a l a d ­

j u s t m e n t s c o r e be v a l i d a t e d on t h e b a s i s

of i t s

co rresp o n ­

d e n c e w i t h h a p p i n e s s r a t i n g s when t h e e n t i r e a d j u s t m e n t s c a l e w as o r i g i n a l l y c o n s t r u c t e d a c c o r d i n g t o no o t h e r c r i t e r i a t h a n t h i s v e r y same a s s o c i a t i o n o f p r o p o s e d i t e m s w i t h t h e h a p p in e ss r a t i n g s c a le ?

E very ite m t h a t p ro v e d t o be o u t

o f l i n e w i t h t h i s f i v e - p o i n t - s c a l e r a t i n g was d i s c a r d e d , and t h o s e i n c l u d e d w e re g i v e n g r e a t e r or l e s s w e ig h t i n t h e

1 I b i d . , p. 58.

21

t o t a l sc o re a c c o rd in g t o t h e i r g r e a te r or l e s s e r a s s o c ia ­ t i o n w ith th e h a p p in e ss r a t i n g . in d e e d , i f a f t e r a l l t h i s b rin g i t

Would i t n o t b e s u r p r i s i n g ,

c a r e f u l w e ig h tin g o f each ite m to

i n t o c l o s e a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e r a t i n g a s g i v e n on

th e f i v e p o in t s c a le o f h a p p in e ss a s a c r i t e r i o n , t h a t th e t o t a l s c o r e t h u s o b ta in e d f o r m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t sh o u ld i t ­ s e l f prove t o be v e ry in d ep en d en t o f t h i s c r i t e r i o n ?

B u r­

g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l w e re n o b b l i n d t o th e c i r c u l a r n a t u r e o f t h i s re a s o n in g , but th ey n e v e rth e le s s p e r s i s t e d in i t .

A

m ost re m a rk a b le seq u en ce o f lo g ic and i l l o g i e a p p e a rs s id e by s i d e w i t h b r i l l i a n t c l a r i t y , and no a t t e m p t i s made t o r e c o n c i l e them i n t h e f o l l o w i n g " r e a s s u r i n g ” s t a t e m e n t . Does t h e s c o r e m e a s u r e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t ? One way t o a n s w e r t h i s q u e s t i o n i s t o s e e w h e t h e r t h e sc o re c o rre sp o n d s v e ry c lo s e ly t o , or i s v ery d i f f e r e n t f ro m , t h e way s u b j e c t s r a t e t h e i r h a p p i n e s s i n m a r r i a g e . S i n c e t h e h a p p i n e s s r a t i n g s w e re u s e d a s a g u i d e i n a s s i g n i n g n u m e r i c a l s c o r e s t o t h e s e l e c t e d q u e s^ t i o n s , i t was t o b e e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s w ould c o r r e l a t e f a i r l y c l o s e l y w i t h t h e h a p p i n e s s r a t ­ in g s. I t i s r e a s s u r i n g t o f i n d t h a t such a c o r r e l a ­ t i o n e x i s t s . 1' E v i d e n t l y B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l w e re m ore t h a n w i l l i n g to be r e a s s u r e d . A p o s i t i v e p o i n t i n f a v o r of B urgess and C o t t r e l l * s m e th o d o lo g y was t h e i r s u p p l e m e n t a t i o n o f s t a t i s t i c a l a n a l y s e s

19I b i d . , p . 71

22

by c a s e s t u d i e s .

B ut t h e i r m an n er o f m a n i p u l a t i n g t h e

s t a t i s t i c a l w ork t o s u p p o r t c o n s i s t e n t h y p o t h e s e s m akes t h e i r c a s e s t u d i e s , w h ic h a r e m ore v u l n e r a b l e t o s u c h s u b tle d ir e c tio n , F in a lly ,

suspect a ls o .

i n t h e s ta te m e n t o f t h e i r f i n d i n g s , B u rg ess

and C o t t r e l l a r e n o t c o n t e n t t o r e p o r t t h e t e n d e n c y f o r one t h i n g t o be f o u n d a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a n o t h e r , b u t p r e t e n d t o know t h e c a u s a l i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t i m e s e q u e n c e s a n d a r e t h u s l e d t o g e n e r a l i z i n g c o n s i d e r a b ly beyond t h e i r d a t a .

The

d o g m a tic t o n e t o t h e i r f i n d i n g s a s t h e y s t a t e th em i n sum­ m ary i s h a r d l y b e c o m in g o f t h e r e s e a r c h s o c i o l o g i s t . I n c o n c lu s io n , a r e c a p i t u l a t i o n o f th e f in d in g s o f t h i s s t u d y show s t h e f o l l o w i n g : 1. C o n t r a r y t o p r e v a i l i n g o p i n i o n , A m e ric a n w i v e s make t h e m a jo r a d j u s t m e n t i n m a r r i a g e . ^ 2. A f f e c tio n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n c h ild h o o d , t y p i ­ c a l l y o f t h e s o n f o r t h e m o th e r and t h e d a u g h t e r f o r th e f a t h e r , c o n d it i o n t h e l o v e - o b j e c t c h o ic e o f t h e a d u lt. 3. The s o c i a l i z a t i o n o f t h e p e r s o n , a s i n d i c a t e d by h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n s o c i a l l i f e a n d s o c i a l i n s t i t u ­ t i o n s , i s s i g n i f i c a n t f o r a d ju stm e n t i n m a r r ia g e . ^^4. The econ om ic f a c t o r i n i t s e l f i s n o t s i g n i f i c a n t f o r a d ju s tm e n t in m a rria g e , s in c e i t i s a p p a r e n tly f u l l y a c c o u n te d f o r by th e o t h e r f a c t o r s (im p re ss o f c u l t u r a l b ackground, p s y c h o g e n e tic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , s o c i a l ty p e , and re s p o n se p a t t e r n s ) . W ith t h e m a j o r i t y o f c o u p l e s , p r o b l e m s o f s e x u a l a d j u s t m e n t i n m a r r i a g e a p p e a r t o be a r e s u l t a n t n o t so much o f b i o l o g i c a l f a c t o r s a s o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l c h a r a c ­ t e r i s t i c s and of c u l t u r a l c o n d it i o n in g o f a t t i t u d e s to w ard s e x .

23

P r e d ic tio n b e fo re m a rria g e o f m a r ita l a d j u s t ­ m en t i s f e a s i b l e , a n d s h o u l d and c a n b e f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d t h r o u g h s t a t i s t i c a l and c a s e - s t u d y m e th o d s . In s h o r t, th e o u tsta n d in g f a c t o r s in m a r ita l ad­ j u s t m e n t seem t o b e t h o s e o f a f f e c t i o n , t e m p e r a m e n t a l c o m p a tib ility , and s o c ia l a d a p ta b ility . The b i o l o ­ g i c a l and e c o n o m ic f a c t o r s a r e o f l e s s i m p o r t a n c e a n d a p p e a r t o be l a r g e l y d e te rm in e d by t h e s e o th e r f a c ­ t o r s . 20 The work o f Terman a n d h i s a s s o c i a t e s .

Terman a n d

h i s a s s o c i a t e s a t S t a n f o r d U n i v e r s i t y made one n o t a b l e im­ provem ent ov er th e B u rg ess and C o t t r e l l s tu d y :

t h e y em p lo y ed

a n i n t e r e s t i n g t e c h n i q u e o f i n s u r i n g a n o n y m ity a n d a t t h e same t i m e e x c l u d i n g c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n h u s b a n d and w i f e a s th ey f i l l e d a room .

out s e p a r a te sc h e d u le s in d i f f e r e n t h a lv e s of

S e v e n h u n d r e d a n d n i n e t y - t w o c o u p l e s c o m p r is e d t h e

s a m p le f o r t h e m ain s t u d y , and 341 c o u p l e s made up a n e x ­ p l o r a t o r y gro u p . B e c a u se o f t h e m an ner o f o b t a i n i n g t h e i r s a m p le , t h r o u g h s o c i a l c l u b s , m a r r i a g e c o u n s e l i n g a g e n c i e s , P . T .A . g ro u p s, and th e l i k e ,

t h e sa m p le f,p r o b a b l y c o n t a i n e d a

r a th e r la rg e p ro p o rtio n of p erso n s in te r e s te d in u p l i f t 21 a c t i v i t i e s o r i n m a t t e r s o f s e l f - i m p r o v e m e n t .*» The a v e r a g e s c h o o l i n g o f t h e g ro u p w as a b o u t t h r e e y e a r s a b o v e

20

I b i d . , P . 4-3.

^ T e r m a n , o p . c i t . , p . 4 1.

24 th e g e n e ra l av erage in C a lifo rn ia t h e s u b j e c t s c a m e ).

( f r o m w h ic h s t a t e a l l o f

The g ro u p was f a i r l y w e l l - t o - d o

g e n e r a l l y , th e m a j o r i t y b e lo n g in g t o th e p r o f e s s i o n a l and b u sin e ss c la s s e s .

Ho d i v o r c e d c o u p l e s w e re s e c u r e d ; t h e

g r o u p w as m i d d l e - a g e d ; and f i v e - s i x t h s o f th e m r a t e d t h e i r m a r r ia g e s a s above a v e ra g e i n h a p p in e s s . A lth o u g h t h e d a t a . . . s u g g e s t t h a t t h e g ro u p i s p r o b a b l y on t h e w h o le r e a s o n a b l y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e m id d le t o u p p e r - m i d d l e o c c u p a t i o n a l , e c o n o m ic , a n d c u l t u r a l l e v e l s o f t h e u r b a n p o p u l a t i o n in C a l i ­ f o r n i a , no c l a i m c a n b e made t h a t i t i s s o i n a l l r e s p e c t s . W h e th e r i t i s m a t t e r s l i t t l e . The im p o r­ t a n t o b j e c t i v e was t o s e c u r e a l a r g e g r o u p o f s u b ­ j e c t s c o v e r i n g a r a t h e r w id e r a n g e a s t o o c c u p a t i o n , in c o m e , e d u c a t i o n , a g e , l e n g t h o f m a r r i a g e , a n d 22 m a r i ta l h a p p in e ss . T h is o b je c tiv e h a s been a t t a i n e d . From t h i s

q u o t a t i o n i t i s a p p a r e n t t h a t Terman was {

a s c a r e l e s s a s B urgess and C o t t r e l l in th e m a tte r of s e c u r­ i n g d a t a on a s p e c i f i c p o p u l a t i o n .

T h e re i s i n t h e q u o t a ­

t i o n s o m e th i n g o f a n i m p l i c a t i o n t h a t t h e f i n d i n g s , f o r n o t b e i n g m o ored t o a s p e c i f i c p o p u l a t i o n , m ig h t h a v e a n a d v a n ­ tag e of u n iv e r s a lity .

More f r e q u e n t l y s u c h s t u d i e s do n o t

r e p r e s e n t any u n i v e r s e . A d e ta ile d c ritic is m

o f T erm an*s w o rk , i n d i c a t i n g

w id e a n d s e r i o u s l i m i t a t i o n s i n t h e m anner o f t r e a t i n g t h e

22

,

I b id ., p . 4 .

23

d a t a an d a r r i v i n g a t c o n c l u s i o n s , may b e fo u n d i n H. L . H o l 23 lin g w o rth ’ s p la y f u lly c a u s tic re v ie w . ' T erm an ’ s c o n s t a n t p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h c a u s e and e f f e c t ,

some o f h i s s t a t i s t i ­

c a l m eth o d s, h i s a tt e m p t s t o f i n d p s y c h o l o g ic a l d e te r m in e r s o f m a r i ta l h a p p in e ss in a stu d y o f c o u p le s a f t e r m a rria g e , and h i s w i l l i n g n e s s t o g e n e r a l i z e d o g m a t i c a l l y on c o r r e l a ­ t i o n s o f a v e r y low o r d e r a r e a l l b r o u g h t t o q u e s t i o n . One t r e m b l e s t o t h i n k o f t h e am ou nt o f p r o b a b l y m i s ­ g u i d e d a d v i c e t h a t w i l l be a d m i n i s t e r e d on t h e b a s i s o f t h e s e p r o v i s i o n a l c o n c l u s i o n s by p e o p l e who m i s s t h e t o t a l p i c t u r e and p i n t h e i r f a i t h t o d e t a i l s . The p r e s ­ t i g e o f th e a u th o r s h ip and s p o n s o r s h ip w i l l g iv e t h i s volum e a h a l o o f a u t h e n t i c i t y t h a t w i l l p u t i t s t e n t a ­ t iv e in tim a tio n s in to th e f i r e s i d e jo u rn a ls a s th e f i n a l c o n c l u s i o n s o f s c i e n c e , and t h a t s c i e n c e w i l l be p s y ­ c h o l o g y , w h ic h a l r e a d y h a s a h a r d jo b d e f e n d i n g i t s p r e c a r i o u s s t a t u s . 24 No a t t e m p t h a s b e e n made i n t h i s c h a p t e r t o p r e s e n t t h e many p o s i t i v e f i n d i n g s o f t h e B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l a n d Term an s t u d i e s .

R e la v an t ones have been p r e s e n te d a t o th e r

p o i n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h i s r e p o r t w h e re t h e y can b e s t be b r o u g h t i n t o c o m p a r is o n w i t h t h e f i n d i n g s o f t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y .

23

H. L . H o llin g w o rth , " P sy c h o lo g ic a l F a c to rs in M a r i ta l H a p p in e s s ," P s y c h o lo g ic a l B u l l e t i n , 3 6 :1 9 1 -9 7 , S e p t e m b e r , 1939* 24

I b i d , p . 196.

CHAPTER I I I

METHODS AND MATERIALS USED A s t u d y i s n o b e t t e r t b a n t h e m e th o d s a n d m a t e r i a l s used in g a th e rin g i t s d a ta .

An e f f o r t h a s b e e n made i n t h i s

c h a p t e r t o s e t f o r t h t h e m e th o d s and d e s c r i b e t h e m a t e r i a l s o f t h i s s t u d y w i t h due r e g a r d f o r t h e i r l i m i t a t i o n s , I , Q u e stio n n a ire s. tio n n a ire s.

METHODS

The g a t h e r i n g o f d a t a w as b y q u e s ­

P a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s e a c h f i l l e d o u t two o f

th e m , a m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t q u e s t i o n n a i r e and a te m p e r a m e n t survey.

The te m p e r a m e n t s u r v e y was o p e n l y l a b e l e d a s su c h

b u t t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t q u e s t i o n s , o n l y t h i r t e e n o f th em i n a l l , w e re l i s t e d w i t h r o u t i n e q u e s t i o n s o f a g e , s e x , n a t i o n a l i t y , and so o n , a s " p r e lim in a r y i n f o r m a ti o n .”

The

m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t q u e s t i o n s a n s w e r e d b y t h e s t u d e n t s w ere t h e v e r y same a s t h o s e a n s w e r e d by t h e p a r e n t s , a n d b o t h s e t s o f q u e s tio n s r e f e r r e d to th e m a rria g e o f th e p a r e n ts . Sfhere t h e p a r e n t s w e re a s k e d , ” i f you h a d y o u r l i f e t o l i v e o v e r a g a i n w o u ld y o u m a r r y t h e

same p e r s o n , m a r r y a d i f f e r e n t

p e r s o n o r n o t m a r r y a t a l l ? ” t h e s t u d e n t s w ere a s k e d , ” i f your f a t h e r had h i s l i f e

t o l i v e o v e r a g a i n do y o u t h i n k he

w ould m a r r y t h e same p e r s o n , m a r r y a d i f f e r e n t p e r s o n , o r

27 n o t m a r r y a t a l l ? ” a n d 11i f y o u r m o th e r h a d h e r l i f e t o l i v e o v e r a g a i n do you t h i n k sh e would m a r r y t h e same p e r s o n , m a r ry a d i f f e r e n t p e r s o n , o r n o t m a r r y a t a l l ? ” The te m p e r a m e n t s u r v e y s f i l l e d p a r e n t w e re i d e n t i c a l .

o u t by s t u d e n t and

Thus c o r r e l a t i o n s c o u l d be e a s i l y

made a s b e tw e e n p a r e n t and p a r e n t and b e tw e e n p a r e n t and stu d e n t.

l a c h p a r e n t had a m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e and

f o u r t e e n te m p e r a m e n t t r a i t s c o r e s .

Each s t u d e n t h a d a n e s ­

tim a te d m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t sc o re f o r th e f a t h e r and one f o r t h e m o t h e r , and f o u r t e e n te m p e ra m e n t t r a i t own.

sco res of h is

The p r i m a r y s t a t i s t i c a l t o o l u s e d i n th e a n a l y s i s o f

t h e d a t a w as t h e P e a r s o n i a n c o e f f i c i e n t o f c o r r e l a t i o n . T h r e e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h i s m ethod a r e a t o n c e a p ­ p a re n t.

F irst,

i t i s one s i d e d and n o t a l t o g e t h e r

a p p r o p r i a t e t o g a t h e r a l l o f o n e f s d a t a by one t e c h n i q u e , e s p e c a i l l y when t h i s t e c h n i q u e s t r e s s e s q u a n t i t a t i v e m e a s u re m e n t and t h e s u b j e c t h a s q u a l i t a t i v e a s p e c t s t h a t th e m ea su rin g d e v ic e i s n ot

s e n s i t i v e en o u g h t o c a p t u r e .

F o r e x a m p le , i n a n s w e r t o t h e q u e s t i o n ” i f you h a d y o u r life

t o l i v e o v e r a g a i n w ould y o u m a r r y t h e same p e r s o n ? ”

two women a n s w e r i n g a f f i r m a t i v e l y m ig h t f e e l q u i t e d i f ­ f e r e n t l y , t h e one b e i n g d e e p l y i n l o v e w i t h h e r h u s b a n d p e r h a p s , and t h e o t h e r m e r e l y c o n v i n c e d t h a t m a r r i a g e w as a n e c e s s a r y e v i l a n d t h a t one man was p r o b a b l y a s good a s

28

any o th e r .

The e a s e h i s t o r y m ethod m ig h t h a v e s u p p le m e n te d

t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e m e th o d . how ever,

A d i f f i c u l t y n o t e a s i l y o v e rc o m e ,

i s th e o b je c tiv e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of case h i s t o r y

m a t e r i a l and i t s p r e p a r a t i o n f o r s t a t i s t i c a l c o m p a r i s o n . B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l . h a v e a s e c t i o n o f c a s e h i s t o r i e s i n t h e i r P r e d i c t i n g S u c c e s s o r F a i l u r e i n .M a r r i a g e w h ich i s su pp o sed t o c o r r o b o r a te t h e i r q u e s t i o n n a i r e f i n d i n g s ; b u t th e in te r p r e ta tio n , th a t i t

i f n o t a r b i t r a r y , i s so w ith o u t r u l e

i s not v e ry c o n v in c in g .

The s t u d e n t w i l l h a v e t o

a w a it f u r t h e r m e th o d o lo g ic a l a d v a n c e s i n th e sy n c h ro n iz in g o f t h e s e two t e c h n i q u e s . A se c o n d l i m i t a t i o n i s t h e u n s u i t a b i l i t y o f t h e P e a rso n ian c o e f f ic ie n t of c o r r e la tio n f o r th e a n a ly s is of r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t a r e n o t w h o lly l i n e a r but a re p a r t l y c u r v i l i n e a r a s much o f t h e s o c i o l o g i s t s m a t e r i a l m ust b e . The m ain b o d y o f d a t a may f o l l o w a s t r a i g h t l i n e t r e n d ; b u t t h e e x tr e m e c a s e s , th o u g h a s c l o s e l y r e l a t e d , may f o llo w a cu rv ed l i n e t r e n d ,

o r p e rh a p s even a s t r a i g h t l i n e

tr e n d in th e o p p o site d i r e c t i o n .

I n t h e m e a su re m e n t o f

te m p e r a m e n t , f o r e x a m p le , t h e h i g h e r t h e s c o r e on a n y t r a i t t h e b e t t e r up t o a c e r t a i n p o i n t , b u t b e y o n d t h a t p o i n t t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r b a la n c e d a d ju s tm e n t r a p i d l y d e c l i n e and even r e v e r s e th e m s e lv e s . s h i p b e tw e e n t h e

I f t h e r e i s no c o n s t a n t r e l a t i o n ­

sc o re and t h e t r a i t m easu red th ro u g h o u t th e

29

f u l l ra n g e o f t h e s c a l e , i t i s n o t l i k e l y t h a t sim p le c o r r e ­ l a t i o n t e c h n i q u e s w i l l do j u s t i c e t o t h e p o s s i b l e a s s o c i a ­ t i o n s b e tw e e n t h i s t r a i t a n d o t h e r s .

And t h e p i c t u r e i s

m ore c o n f u s e d b y t h e e l u s i v e a c t i o n of v a r i o u s c o m b i n a t i o n s o f t r a i t s i n d i f f e r i n g a m o u n ts i n a r e a l s i t u a t i o n , r a t h e r t h a n t h e m ere sum o f t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e s e t r a i t s se p a ra te ly .

A g a in t h e

c o n sid ere d

s t u d e n t m u st a w a i t d e v e lo p m e n t o f

f u r t h e r te c h n iq u e s e i t h e r in s c a le c o n s tru c tio n or in s t a t i s t i c a l f o r m u l a e i f t h e a n a l y s i s o f c o m p lex r e l a t i o n s h i p s i s t o be b ro u g h t w ith in h i s re a c h . A t h i r d l im i ta t io n i s th e n e c e s s a r ily s t a t i c n a tu re o f q u e s t i o n n a i r e r e p l i e s and t h e c o n s e q u e n t c o n f u s i o n of t h e tim e e le m e n t.

T h e re h a s b e e n no s t u d y t o

d e te rm in e w h eth er

m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t o f a c o u p le t h i s y e a r i s t h e was s e v e r a l y e a r s a g o .

same a s i t

I f i n C a se A, f o r e x a m p le , no r e l a ­

t i o n s h i p i s f o u n d b e tw e e n th e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t o f t h e p a r e n t s and c e r t a i n p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s o f t h e

se v en te en y e a r

o l d s t u d e n t , i t may b e t h a t t h e a d j u s t m e n t o f t h i s

c o u p le

h a s been s t e a d i l y c h an g in g o v er a p e r io d o f y e a r s , and i t

is

c o n c e i v a b l e t h a t t h e r e m ig h t h a v e b e e n v e r y c l o s e a s s o c i a ­ t i o n b e tw e e n t h e s e t r a i t s vshen t h e s t u d e n t w a s a y o u n g e r c h ild .

To s a y t h a t no c o r r e l a t i o n i s f o u n d d o e s n o t t e l l a

dy nam ic s t o r y . None o f t h e s e l i m i t a t i o n s w i l l d i s t o r t t h e f i n d i n g s o f t h e s t u d y a s l o n g a s t h e y a r e k e p t i n m in d .

P is tr i b u t io n of q u e s tio n n a ir e s .

B oth q u e s t i o n n a i r e s

w e re i n one e n v e l o p e , t h e one l a b e l e d " P r e l i m i n a r y I n f o r m a ­ t i o n " and t h e o t h e r c o r r e c t l y l a b e l e d w i t h i t s f u l l t i t l e : The Gui I f o r d- Z immerman Tem peram ent S u r v e y . in tro d u c e d a s an a tte m p t t o

The p r o j e c t w as

s t u d y t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n

p a r e n t and c h i l d i n p e r s o n a l i t y f o r m a t i o n . No q u e s t i o n s w ere a s k e d i n i n t e r v i e w .

A ll r e p l i e s

w e re i n a n sw e r t o w r i t t e n q u e s t i o n s , w ere s e c r e t a n d a n o n y m o u s.

C o m p leted q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w ere r e i n s e r t e d i n

l a r g e e n v e l o p e s , s e a l e d a n d m ixed i n w i t h o t h e r s e a l e d e n ­ v e lo p e s.

The o n l y m ark o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w as a num ber a n d

a le tte r,

l i k e 1 0 5 6 3 8 - r o r 8 ^ 1 2 - t , c h o s e n by t h e f a m i l y and

unknown t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r , w h ic h a l l t h r e e p l a c e d on t h e i r e n v e l o p e s t o m ark them a s b e l o n g i n g t o one f a m i l y .

No two

f a m i l i e s , a s was t o b e e x p e c t e d , c h o s e t h e same num ber and le tte r.

I n t h i s way i t w as p o s s i b l e t o o b t a i n r e p l i e s fro m

t h e s t u d e n t a t one t i m e , t h e m o th e r a t a n o t h e r , and t h e f a t h e r a t a s t i l l l a t e r d a te i f n e c e s s a ry w ith o u t lo s in g th e i d e n t i t y of th e fa m ily g ro u p . L e t t e r s s e n t t o t h e homes w e re f o l l o w e d up by p h o n e c a l l s i n v i t i n g members o f t h e s a m p le t o t h e s c h o o l b u i l d i n g i n t h e e v e n i n g t o f i l l o u t s c h e d u l e s and p a r t a k e o f r e f r e s h ­ m en ts.

T h is was d u r i n g " o p e n s c h o o l week" when many o f t h e

p a r e n t s w e re a n x i o u s t o g e t o u t t o t h e s c h o o l f o r one e v e n i n g anyw ay.

O ver s i x t y p e r c e n t o f t h e sa m p le t u r n e d

31 o u t.

Thus n e a r l y tw ) t h i r d s o f t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w e re com­

p l e t e d i n groups o f t h i r t y o r f o r t y p e r s o n s .

T h e re w as no

c o l l a b o r a t i o n among t h e f a m i l y members i n t h e s e c l a s s r o o m g r o u p s a n d t h e g ro u p s e r v e d l a t e r a s a c h e c k i n t h i s r e g a r d on t h e o n e s f i l l e d

o u t a t home.

T h ose who d i d n o t come t o s c h o o l h a d t o be c o n t a c t e d i n t h e i r h o m es.

The i n v e s t i g a t o r and s e v e r a l a s s i s t a n t s

v i s i t e d a n d *p h o n e d t h e homes a lm o s t d a i l y f o r a n a p p o i n t ­ m ent t o a c c o m p l i s h t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e s .

The a im w as t o

h a v e t h e s c h e d u l e s c o m p le te d i n one s i t t i n g and w i t h o u t c o lla b o ra tio n .

It

c a n n o t be s t a t e d f o r c e r t a i n j u s t how

r i g o r o u s l y th e v a r i o u s a s s i s t a n t s c a r r i e d o u t t h e s e p u r ­ poses.

The i n v e s t i g a t o r h i m s e l f was f o r c e d t o l e a v e t h e

q u e s t i o n n a i r e s o v e r n i g h t a n d p i c k th e m up t h e n e x t d ay i n sev eral in sta n c e s.

T h e r e w e re f a t h e r s who w o rk ed t h e l,sw in g

s h i f t ” and c o u l d n o t e a s i l y b e c o n t a c t e d o t h e r w i s e .

T here

w e re m o t h e r s who w o u ld n o t g i v e up t h e i r e v e n i n g s f o r t h e • ta s k b u t who d i d n o t m in d w o r k in g on t h e l e i s u r e d u rin g th e day.

jo b a t t h e i r

I t w as n o t f e l t t h a t u n c o m p ro m is in g

dem ands c o u l d b e made upo n p a r t i c i p a n t s whose d e s i r e t o c o ­ o p e r a t e was a l r e a d y n o t v e r y c e r t a i n .

In th e s e c a se s th e

i n v e s t i g a t o r c o n t e n t e d h i m s e l f w i t h i m p r e s s i n g upon t h e p e r s o n t h e s e r i o u s n e s s o f t h e two i n s t r u c t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t i m e a n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n , p o i n t i n g o u t t h a t t h e tw o h o u r s t h e y

m ig h t s p e n d on t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w ou ld be p r a c t i c a l l y v e s t e d i f t h o s e i n s t r u c t i o n s w e re i g n o r e d .

I t w as fo u n d l a t e r b y

t h e c h e c k j u s t m e n t i o n e d t h a t t h e r e was some c o l l a b o r a t i o n i n t h e hom es i n s p i t e o f t h e s e e f f o r t s t o k e e p i t a t a minimum. II.

THE MEASUREMENT OF MARITAL ADJUSTMENT

I n th e ex p erim e n tal s tu d ie s of m a r i ta l a d ju s tm e n t, 1 - 2 3 t h o s e o f B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l , T erm an, and L o c k e , o n l y one d e v i c e h a s so f a r b e e n d e v e l o p e d f o r i t s m e a s u r e m e n t.

T h is

i s t h e s c a l e o r i g i n a l l y p r e s e n t e d b y B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l i n P r e d ic tin g S u ccess or F a ilu r e in M a rria g e .

T h i s same

s c a l e was m o d i f i e d o n l y s l i g h t l y b y Terman and s l i g h t l y b y Locke.

The s c a l e u s e d i n t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y was a g a i n t h e

same s c a l e w i t h m in o r a l t e r a t i o n s .

A few q u e s t i o n s f o u n d

in th e o th e r th re e s tu d ie s to be of l i t t l e

sig n ific a n c e

w e re l e f t o u t , a n d t h e w e i g h t i n g o f t h e i t e m s w as v a r i e d i n one o r tw o i n s t a n c e s . I n C h a p t e r I I t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h i s s c a l e w h ic h c o u ld m e a s u re ,1m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t ” f o r B u r g e s s a n d C o t t r e l l and " m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s ” f o r T erm an w as s e r i o u s l ^ g ^ u e s t i o n e d . The same u n c e r t a i n t y a p p l i e s t o t h e

B u r g e s s an d C o t t r e l l , ?

Term an, op . c i t .

od.

sc a le used in th e

c it.

33 p r e s e n t s t u d y , a s i t i s t h e same s c a l e .

To d a t e , t h o u g h ,

no b e t t e r m e a s u r i n g d e v i c e i s a v a i l a b l e . M a r ita l a d ju s tm e n t ite m s .

The i te m s o f t h e s c a l e w e re

o n l y t h i r t e e n i n num ber and w e re c o u c h e d i n a " P r e l i m i n a r y i' “I n f o r m a t i o n " s h e e t a l o n g w i t h b a c k g r o u n d q u e s t i o n s o f a g e , i s e x , n a t i o n a l i t y , in co m e, a n d so o n . T hey a r e l i s t e d h e r e s e p a r a t e l y w ith th e w e ig h ts g iv e n t o th e v a rio u s an sw ers i n d i ­ c a te d in th e b la n k s . n a ire .

T h is l i s t

i s from th e p a r e n t s 1 q u e s tio n ­

The s t u d e n t Ts q u e s t i o n n a i r e w a s made up o f t h e v e r y

same i t e m s w i t h j u s t t h e p r o n o u n s c h a n g e d . y o u — ? " t h e q u e s t i o n w as w o rd e d ,

In ste a d

o f "do

" d o e s y o u r m o t h e r — ?" and

" d o e s y o u r f a t h e r — ?" 1.

Do y o u e v e r w is h y ou h a d n o t m a r r i e d : ly 0 ; o c c a sio n a lly 2 ; ra re ly never 15 ;

fre q u e n t­ 4 ;

2.

I f you h a d y o u r l i f e t o l i v e o v e r , do you t h i n ^ y o u w o u ld : m a rry t h e same p e r s o n 15 ; m a r r y a d if f e r e n t p erso n 1 ; n o t m arry a t a l l 0

3.

When d i s a g r e e m e n t s a r i s e , t h e y u s u a l l y r e s u l t i n : husband g iv in g in 1 ; w ife g iv in g in 1 a g r e e m e n t by m u tu a l g i v e a n d t a k e 10 ; n e ith e r g iv in g in 0

4.

Do y ou c o n f i d e i n y o u r m a te : ra re ly ; i n m o st t h i n g s th in g 10 .

a l m o s t n e v e r ______ ; 10 ; i n e v e r y -

5.

In l e i s u r e tim e husband and w if e : b o th p r e f e r to be on t h e go 3 ; b o t h p r e f e r t o s t a y a t home 10 ; one p r e f e r s t o b e on t h e go a n d t h e o t h e r t o s t a y a t home 4

6.

Do y o u a n d y o u r m ate e n g ag e i n o u t s i d e i n t e r e s t s t o g e t h e r : a l l o f th em 10 ; some o f them 10 ;

;

24 v e r y fe w o f th e m

1

; n o n e o f th em

0

7.

Bo y o u k i s s y o u r m a t e : e v e r y d a y sio n a lly 1 ; a lm o st n e v e r 0

10 ; o c c a ­

8.

f h a t t h i n g s d o e s y o u r m ate do t h a t y ou do n o t lik e : n o th in g 7 ; one t h i n g 5 ; two th in g s 1 ; t h r e e o r m ore 0

9.

Check t h e p l a c e on t h e

s c a l e l i n e b e lo w w hich

b e s t d e s c r i b e s th e d eg ree o f h a p p in e s s , e v e ry ­ th in g c o n s id e r e d , of y o u r p r e s e n t m a r r ia g e . The m i d d l e p o i n t , '’h a p p y 11 r e p r e s e n t s t h e d e g r e e o f h a p p i n e s s w h ic h m ost p e o p l e g e t f r o m m a r r i a g e , and t h e s c a l e r a n g e s on one s i d e t o t h o s e few who e x p e r i e n c e e x tr e m e jo y i n m a r r i a g e a n d on t h e o t h e r t o t h o s e fe w who a r e v e r y u n h a p p y i n 4 m arriag e . (A )- 0 V e ry unhappy 10.

4

(B )-2

( C ) -9 H appy

(D )-l6 .

( E )- 2 2 P e rfe c tly happy

Check t h e num ber o f t i m e s you h a v e l e f t y o u r m ate o r y o u r m ate h a s l e f t you b e c a u s e o f c o n f l i c t s : (1)

10

(2 j

1

(3 )

0

K a r l M. W a l l a c e , " C o n s t r u c t i o n s a n d V a l i d a t i o n s o f M a r i t a l A d j u s t m e n t and P r e d i c t i o n S c a l e s , " a D o c t o r a l d i s s e r ­ t a t i o n , The U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a , Los A n g e l e s , 1?47, p p. 1 8 0-8?.

35

(4 )

Q

(5 )

Q

(6 j

0

.

(7) 8)

0

( 9)

o

(

(10) JD____ More t h a n 10

0

11.

How o f t e n do you an d y o u r m ate 11g e t on e a c h o t h e r ’ s n e r v e s 11: (1 ) f r e q u e n t l y 0 ; (2) o c ­ c a sio n a lly 6. ; . ( 3 ) r a r e l y 8 ; f4 ) n e v e r 10

12.

Check a n y o f t h e f o l l o w i n g t h i n g s vfcieh y ou t h i n k cause s e r io u s d i f f i c u l t i e s in your m a rria g e : a.

M a t e ’ s a t t e m p t t o c o n t r o l my s p e n d i n g money ______ .

b.

O t h e r d i f f i c u l t i e s o v e r money ______.

c.

M ate p a i d a t t e n t i o n t o a n o t h e r p e r s o n ______ .

d.

Do n o t h a v e m u tu a l f r i e n d s ______ .

e.

I l l h e a l t h ______ .

f .

- I n t e r f e r e n c e o f i n - l a w s _____ .

g.

C o n s t a n t b i c k e r i n g ______.

h.

L ack o f m u t u a l a f f e c t i o n l o v e ) ______ .

i.

S e l f i s h n e s s an d l a c k o f c o o p e r a t i o n ______ .

j.

N o n - s u p p o r t ______.

(no l o n g e r i n

% k. 1.

D r u n k e n n e s s ____________. No c o n f l i c t on a n y o f t h e ab o v e

15

(10 i f one i t e m c h e c k e d ) ( 1 i f two i t e m s c h e c k e d ) ( 0 i f t h r e e o r more c h e c k e d ) 13.

Check a p p r o x i m a t e e x t e n t o f a g r e e m e n t o r d i s ­ a g r e e m e n t d u r i n g m a r r i a g e b e tw e e n you and y o u r m ate on t h e f o l l o w i n g i t e m s . The e x a m p le s s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d a s o n l y one o f many t o p i c s w h ic h come u n d e r e a c h p o i n t . PLEASE PLACE A CHECK OPPOSITE ITEM

Check one colum n A lm ost f o r each i t e m b e ­ Always a lw a y s low ag ree ag ree H a n d lin g fa m ily fin an c es (e .g . In ­ sta llm e n t b u y in g ) Amount o f tim e spent to g e th e r F rie n d s (e .g . D islik e o f m a t e 1s frie n d s) In tim a te re la tio n s (e .g . sex re la tio n s]

O cca­ sio n ­ a lly d is­ ag ree

F re­ q u e n t­ ly d is­ ag ree

A lm o st a lw a y s Always d is­ d is­ a g ree ag ree

10

8

6

4

2

0

10

8

6

4

2

0

10

8

6

4

2

0

10

8

6

4

2

0

37 Check one colum n A lm o st f o r each Always a lw a y s ite m ag ree ag ree b e lo w

O cca­ sio n ­ a lly d is­ a g ree

F re­ q u e n t­ ly d is­ a g ree

A lm ost a lw a y s A lw ays d is­ d is­ ag ree a g re e

Ways o f d e a lin g w ith in -la w s

10

8

6

4

2

0

Conven­ tio n a lity (e .g . good, rig h t or pro p er c o n d u ct)

10

8

6

4

2

0

A im s, g o a ls, and th in g s b e lie v e d im p o rtan t in l i f e

10

8

6

4

2

0

----------

S c o rin g o f ite m s in t h e p r e s e n t s tu d y .

I t may be s e e n

t h a t th e f i r s t e ig h t ite m s of t h i s q u e s tio n n a ir e a re i d e n t i ­ c a l i n c o n t e n t a n d i n m an n e r o f s c o r i n g w i t h t h e i t e m s o f t h e 5 B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l s c a l e . I t e m num ber n i n e was t a k e n fro m W a l l a c e ’ s^ s c a l e a n d s c o r e d p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y .

Item s e le v e n

and t w e l v e w e re t a k e n fro m L o ck e and s c o r e d a s he u s e d th em .

^ E . W. B u r g e s s a n d L . S . C o t t r e l l , J r . , P r e d i c t i n g S u c c e s s o r F a i l u r e i n M a r r ia g e (Hew Y o rk : P r e n t i c e - H a l l , I n c . , 19 3 9 ). PP. 6 4 ^ 5 L K a r l M. W a l la c e , l o c . c i t .

I t e m t e n was t a k e n f r o m T erm an , and t h e s c o r e s u s e d i n t h i s s t u d y w ere t h e same a s h i s .

I t e m t h i r t e e n was t h e same a s

B u r g e s s ’ w ith t h r e e o f th e te n q u e s tio n s o m itte d , and th e w e i g h t s w ere n o t l a t e r e d .

B u r g e s s an d C o t t r e l l ’ s s c a l e c o n ­

t a i n s seven q u e s tio n s d e sig n e d t o d e te rm in e th e n e u r o tic is m of th e s u b je c ts .

T h e s e d i d n o t t o t a l a l t o g e t h e r more t h a n

a n y o n e o t h e r i t e m i n t h e s c a l e ,, b e i n g g i v e n b u t one p o i n t e a c h , a n d w e re l e f t

out of th e p re se n t stu d y .

The h i g h e s t

p o s s i b l e s c o r e on t h e B u r g e s s s c a l e w as 1 ? 4 , and i n t h e p r e s e n t stu d y 212. V a l i d i t y o f p r e s e n t s c o r i n g m e th o d .

T h is ju g g lin g

o f i t e m s an d s h o r e s , t h o u g h n o t e x t r e m e , r a i s e s a q u e s t i o n . I f a s c a l e h a s b e en v a l i d a t e d w i t h o ne s e t o f w e i g h t s f o r i t s ite m s, i s i t

s t i i l v a l i d i f th e s e w e ig h ts a r e changed

a n d a fe w q u e s t i o n s a r e a d d e d o r s u b t r a c t e d ? C o t t r e l l had an a n sw e r.

B u r g e s s an d

They s c o r e d t h e i r q u e s t i o n n a i r e s

w i t h w e i g h t s d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e a s s o c i a t i o n b e tw e e n e a c h i t e m an d a m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s r a t i n g ,

and t h e n s c o r e d them

a s e c o n d t im e w i t h t h e m ore r i g o r o u s l y d e t e r m i n e d w e i g h t s t h a t Term an d e r i v e d f r o m h i s s a m p le . la te d

.9 0 4 .0 0 8 .

T hey w e n t f u r t h e r :

The two s c o r e s c o r r e ­ th e y w e ig h te d th e

i t e m s a r b i t r a r i l y , a n d f o u n d t h i s m ethod t o be j u s t a s good#

39 As a m a t t e r o f f a c t ' , a n e x p e r i m e n t was made o f s c o r i n g b y a s s i g n i n g a r b i t r a r y v a l u e s t o th e v a r i o u s ite m s. The a r b i t r a r y w e i g h t i n g o f t h e i t e m s y i e l d e d s c o r e s t ’h a t c o r r e l a t e d c l o s e l y w i t h s c o r e s a r r i v e d a t a f t e r u s in g th e m a r i t a l h a p p in e s s r a t i n g (th e c r i t e r i o n used) a s a g u id e i n a s s ig n in g s c o re v a lu e s . The c o r ­ r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s , w i t h a r b i t r a r y w e i g h t i n g and e m p i r i c a l w e i g h t i n g , w a s + .$?6.7 No am ount o f v a r i a t i o n , a p p a r e n t l y ,

in th e w e ig h tin g

o f t h e i t e m s o f t h e s c a l e se e m s t o c h a n g e t h e r e l i a b i l i t y o f th e sc o re , o r i t s v a lid ity .

I s t h e s c a l e so c ru d e , th e

v a l i d i t y so lo w , t h e a n a l y s i s o f t h e t h i n g t o be t e s t e d and th e c atc h in g of i t s

symptoms i n t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e so f r a g ­

m e n t a r y t h a t no am ount o f s t a t i s t i c a l c a r e i n w e i g h t i n g t h e i t e m s can b e t t e r t h e je c tu re ? m e th o d :

s c o r e f r o m one d e r i v e d by s h e e r c o n ­

Term an g i v e s a p a r t i a l a n s w e r when e x c u s i n g h i s f,$ h i l e t h e s c o r i n g scheme i s p e r h a p s n o t t h e m o st

v a l i d t h a t m ig h t h a v e b e e n d e v i s e d , we f e e l t h a t t h e n a t u r e o f o u r d a t a d o e s n o t w a r r a n t t h e e f f o r t t o d e v e l o p a m ore o s e n s itiv e in s tru m e n t.” P r a c t i c a l l y i t m u st b e d i f f i c u l t

to d e te rm in e w hat

e f f e c t s p e c i f i c c h a n g e s w i l l ha v e on t h e v a l i d i t y o f a s c a l e when t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e o r i g i n a l s c a l e h a s n e v e r b e e n

?E . W. B u r g e s s and L. S. C o t t r e l l , J r . ,

op. c i t . ,

P . 68. ^ L ew is M. T e rm a n , P s y c h o l o g i c a l F a c t o r s i n M a r i t a l H a p p i n e s s (New Y o rk : M e G ra w -H ill Boois; "Com pany,~nc7," 1 9 ^ 8 ) , P. 37.

40 c le a rly a sc e rta in e d ,

Term an f o u n d h i m s e l f i n t h i s p r e d i c a ­

m ent and h o n e s t l y a d m i t t e d i t . The i d e a l w e i g h t i n g o f t h e s u b t e s t s o f a b a t t e r y i s t h e one t h a t w i l l y i e l d t h e h i g h e s t m u l t i p l e c o r ­ r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n t o t a l t e s t s c o r e and a n i n d e p e n d e n t l y d e te rm in e d c r i t e r i o n o f t h e t r a i t i n q u e s t i o n . I n th e p r e s e n t i n s t a n c e t h i s m ethod c o u l d o b v i o u s l y n o t b e c o n s i d e r e d , a s no o u t s i d e c r i t e r i o n o f m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s was a v a i l a b l e . ' W h a te v e r m ig h t h a v e b e e n th e e f f e c t s o f t h e s e m in o r c h a n g e s i n s c o r i n g on t h e c o m p a r a t i v e v a l i d i t y o f t h e

sc a le

u s e d i n t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y , t h e y w e re m in im iz e d by th e m anner i n Tfthich t h e p u rp o ses.

s c o r e s w e re t e l e s c o p e d down f o r c o r r e l a t i o n

The te m p e r a m e n t s c o r e s r a n g e d f r o m z e r o t o

t h i r t y on m ost o f t h e t r a i t s m e a s u r e d ; h e n c e t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s w e re d i v i d e d by t e n so a s t o r a n g e fro m z e r o t o t w e n t y , m ore i n k e e p i n g w i t h th e o t h e r s w i t h w h ic h t h e y w e re t o b e c o r r e l a t e d t h a n i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l r a n g e o f z e r o t o 2 1 2 ; and l a t e r , a s w i l l b e e x p l a i n e d i n t h e s t a t i s ­ t i c a l a n a l y s i s , b o t h t e s t s w e re s c a l e d t o e l e v e n d i v i s i o n s fo r th e d e riv a tio n of C -sco res. III.

THE MEASUREMENT OF TEMPERAMENT

The i n s t r u m e n t u s e d f o r t h e m e a s u re m e n t o f t e m p e r a ­ m en t w as The G u iIfo rd -Z im m e rm a n T em peram ent S u r v e y .

9Ibid., p. 56.

W ith

41 t h i s t e s t i t was p o s s i b l e t o s e c u r e s c o r e s on t e n s e p a r a t e tra its :

G en eral A c t i v i t y , R e s t r a i n t , A scendance, S o c ia ­

b i l i t y , E m o tio n al S t a b i l i t y , O b j e c t i v i t y , F r i e n d l i n e s s , T h o u g h t f u l n e s s , P e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s , an d M a s c u l i n i t y .

These

t r a i t s h a d b e e n i s o l a t e d i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e t e s t by f a c t o r - a n a l y s i s m e th o d s .

And t h e i r d e g r e e o f i n t e r - c o r -

r e l a t i o n w as r e m a r k a b l y lo w i n a l l i n s t a n c e s b u t tw o: A s c e n d a n c e and S o c i a b i l i t y c o r r e l a t e d + , 6 l , an d E m o t i o n a l s t a b i l i t y and O b j e c t i v i t y c o r r e l a t e d + .6 9 .

T h is i n d e p e n d ­

e n c e o f t h e s e p a r a t e s c o r e s was a n i m p o r t a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n t h e c h o ic e o f t e s t s f o r th e p r e s e n t s tu d y . The i n t e r n a l v a l i d i t y o r f a c t o r i a l v a l i d i t y o f t h e s c o r e s i s f a i r l y w e l l a s s u r e d by t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f f a c t o r - a n a l y s i s s tu d ie s p lu s th e s u c c e s s iv e ite m a n a l y s i s s t u d i e s d i r e c t e d to w a rd i n t e r n a l c o n s is te n c y and u n i q u e n e s s . I t i s b e lie v e d t h a t what each sc o re m ea su re s i s f a i r l y w e ll d e f in e d and t h a t t h e s c o re r e p r e s e n t s a c o n firm ed d im e n sio n o f p e r s o n a l i t y and a d e p e n d a b le d e s c r i p t i v e c a t e g o r y . 0 S p e c i f i c i n d i c a t i o n o f w h a t i s m e a s u re d by e a c h o f th e te n t r a i t s

i s g i v e n i n T a b l e 1 o f t h e ’’M anual o f I n ­

s t r u c t i o n s and I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . ” ^

Ho c l e a r e r d e l i n e a t i o n

o f t h e t r a i t s a s m e a s u re d c o u l d b e e s s a y e d t h a n t o q u o t e t h i s t a b l e v e rb a tim :

P . G u i l f o r d a n d Wayne S. Zimmerman, The G u i I f o r d - Zimmerman T em peram ent S u r v e y , M anual o f I n s t r u c ­ t i o n s and I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , p . 6 . 11rb id ..) pp.

2-3

TABLE I THE GUI LFORD- ZIMMERMAN TEMPERAMENT SURVEY T a b l e !♦

An I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e T r a i t s * Number of Item s

N eg ativ e Q u a litie s

P o s itiv e Q u a litie s G— G e n e r a l a c t i v i t y R a p id p a c e o f a c t i v i t i e s ..................v s E n e r g y ; v i t a l i t y . ...................................v s K e e p in g i n m o tio n ...................................v s P r o d u c t i o n ; e f f i c i e n c y .................... v s L i k i n g f o r s p e e d .................................. v s H u r r y i n g .......................... .......................... v s Q u i c k n e s s o f a c t i o n ..............................v s E n th u s ia s m ; l i v e l i n e s s ............................ R—R e s t r a i n t

(o p p o s ite o f form er t r a i t

Slow and d e l i b e r a t e p a c e F a t i g a b i l i t y ....................... . P au sin g f o r r e s t • • • • • • • • • • • • • Low p r o d u c t i o n ; i n e f f i c i e n c y L i k i n g f o r s l o w p a c e ................ T a k in g t im e .................................... . S lo w n e ss o f a c t i o n ................... .

6

6



4 4 3 2 2 2

o f rh a th y m ia )

S e r i o u s - m i n d e d n e s s .................................................................................................. .................................................................................. H a p p y - g o - lu c k y ; c a r e f r e e D e l i b e r a t e ................................................ v s I m p u l s i v e ................................ .................................................................................. E x c i t e m e n t - l o v i n g ............. P e r s i s t e n t e f f o r t ..................................................................................................... S e l f - c o n t r o l ................................................................................................................. 'A—A s c e n d a n c e S e l f d e f e n s e ................................. vs L e a d e r s h i p h a b i t s ................................ v s S p e a k i n g w i t h i n d i v i d u a l s ............ v s S p e a k i n g i n p u b l i c ............ vs P e r s u a d i n g o t h e r s ...................................... B e in g c o n s p i c u o u s ............................... v s B lu ffin g ................................................... S --S o c ia b ility

S u b m i s s i v e n e s s ................ H a b its of fo llo w in g . . H e s i t a t i o n t o sp eak in g H e s ita tio n to sp e ak in g A v o id in g c o n s p i c u o u s n e s s

( f o r m e r l y c a l l e d " s o c i a l e x t r a v e r s i o n ," o p p o s i t e " s o c i a l in tr o v e r s io n " or sh y n ess)

H a v in g many f r i e n d s , and a c q u a i n t a n c e s ............................ E n te rin g in to c o n v e rsa tio n s . . . . L i k i n g s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s ............... S e e k i n g s o c i a l c o n t a c t s ................. S e e k in g l i m e l i g h t

vs vs vs vs

...................................v s

E— E m o tio n a l s t a b i l i t y

Few f r i e n d s a n d a c q u a i n t a n c e s R e f r a in in g from c o n v e r s a tio n s D i s l i k i n g s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s ., A v o id in g s o c i a l c o n t a c t s . . . . S h y n e s s ................................................ A v o id in g l i m e l i g h t ......................

( o p p o s i t e t o a c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e f o r m e r t r a i t s o f C, ' c y c l o i d d i s p o s i t i o n , a n d D, d e p r e s s i v e t e n d e n c i e s )

E v e n n e s s o f m oods, i n t e r e s t s , e n e r g y , e t c .................... v s O p tim ism ; c h e e r f u l n e s s

...................

vs

Com posure ................................................... v s F e e l i n g i n good h e a l t h .................... v s

F l u c t u a t i o n o f m oods, i n t e r e s t s , en erg y, e t c . • • • P e s s im i s m ; g l o o m i n e s s ............... P e r s e v e r a t i o n o f i d e a s and moods ................................................ D ayd ream ing ........................ .. E x c i t a b i l i t y .................................... F e e l i n g i n i l l h e a l t h ............... F e e lin g s of g u i l t , lo n e lin e s s o r w o r r y .........................................



“ 0 —O b j e c t i v i t y B e in g " t h i c k s k i n n e d "

F —F r i e n d l i n e s s

........................

vs

H y p e r s e n s i t i v e n e s s ............ E goism ; s e l f - c e n t e r e d n e s s • S u sp ic io u sn e ss; fan c y in g of - h o s t i l i t y .................................. H a v in g i d e a s o f r e f e r e n c e • G e ttin g in to tr o u b le . . . .

10 •





8

6 • • •

4 2

( f o r m e r t r a i t o f a g r e e a b l e n e s s , Ag)

T o le ra tio n of h o s tile a c tio n

...

vs

A c c e p ta n c e o f d o m in a t io n ..................v s R e s p e c t f o r o t h e r s ................................ v s

B e llig e re n c e ; re a d in e ss to f i g h t ......................................... H o s t i l i t y , re sen tm en t . . . . D e s i r e t o d o m in a te ............... R e s is ta n c e to d o m in a tio n . Contem pt f o r o t h e r s .............

T— T h o u g h t f u l n e s s ( f o r m e r l y c a l l e d " t h i n k i n g i n t r o v e r s i o n " ) R e f l e c t i v e n e s s ; m e d i t a t i v e n e s s ............................................................................... . O b serv in g o f b e h a v io r i n o t h e r s .......... ................................................ I n t e r e s t e d i n t h i n k i n g .................... v s I n t e r e s t e d i n o v e r t a c t i v i t y P h i l o s o p h i c a l l y i n c l i n e d .................................... 1 ................ ..................................... . O b s e r v i n g o f s e l f ............................................................ ............................................. M e n t a l p o i s e .............. v s M e n ta l d i s c o n c e r t e d n e s s

8 6 3 4 4 3

P —P e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s ( f o r m e r l y c o o p e r a t i v e n e s s , Co) T o le ra n c e o f p e o p le

........................... v s

F a i t h in s o c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s

.

vs

H y p e r c r i t i c a l n e s s of p e o p le ; f a u ltf in d in g h a b it s . C ritic a ln e s s of in s titu tio n s S u sp ic io u sn e ss of o th e r s . . . S e l f p i t y ......................................... .

13

8

6 3

M—M a s c u l i n i t y I n t e r e s t i n m a s c u lin e a c t i v i t i e s and v o c a t i o n s

vs

Not e a s i l y d i s g u s t e d ........................ v s H a r d b o i l e d .................................... vs R e s i s t a n t t o f e a r ...................................v s I n h i b i t i o n o f e m o tio n al e x p r e s s i o n s ......................................... v s L i t t l e i n t e r e s t in c lo th e s and s t y l e s ........................................... v s

*

I n t e r e s t in fe m in in e a c t i v i t i e s and v o c a t i o n s E a s i l y d i s g u s t e d ................... S y m p a th e t ic ............................... F e a r f u l ......................................... R o m a n tic i n t e r e s t s ...............

7 3 4 3 3

E m o tio n a l e x p r e s s i v e n e s s Much i n t e r e s t i n c l o t h e s and s t y l e s ........................ D i s l i k e o f v e r m in ............

The i t e m s s c o r e d f o r e a c h te m p e ra m e n t v a r i a b l e h a v e b e e n c a t e g o r i z e d i n t h e g ro u p s a s d e s c r ib e d . The number o f i t e m s w i l l g i v e some i d e a o f t h e r e l a ­ t i v e im p o rta n c e o f each q u a l i t y in th e t o t a l s c o r e . The t i t l e s o f t h e c a t e g o r i e s s h o u l d be s u g g e s t i v e o f t h e k i n d o f a d j u s t m e n t o r b e h a v i o r t o b e e x p e c t e d i n t h o s e w ith h i g h o r low s c o r e s . A h i g h s c o r e i n d i c a t e s t h e " p o s i t i v e " q u a l i t i e s a n d a low s c o r e t h e " n e g a t i v e " q u a l i t i e s . E x tre m e p o s i t i v e q u a l i t i e s do n o t a lw a y s i n d i c a t e t h e b e s t a d j u s t m e n t , b u t e x t r e m e n e g a tiv e ones a re l i k e l y to i n d ic a te tr o u b le .

43 F o u r o t h e r t r a i t s w ere made up by c o m b in in g some o f th e te n o r i g i n a l e le m e n ts o f t h e t e s t .

A scendance and

S o c i a b i l i t y w e re com b in ed t o g i v e a s c o r e f o r S o c i a l A d j u s t ­ m en t; E m o t i o n a l s t a b i l i t y and O b j e c t i v i t y w e re com bined t o d e s i g n a t e E m o t i o n a l A d j u s t m e n t ; and F r i e n d l i n e s s a n d P e r ­ s o n a l R e l a t i o n s w e re summed t o i n d i c a t e P e r s o n a l A d j u s t m e n t . A ll t h r e e o f t h e s e — E m o tio n al A d ju stm e n t, S o c i a l A d ju s t­ m e n t, and P e r s o n a l A d j u s t m e n t — w ere f i n a l l y ad d ed t o a sc o re d e s ig n a te d a s T o ta l A d ju stm en t. th a t th e se h y p o th e tic a l t r a i t s

g iv e

I t w as b e l i e v e d

s u g g e s t e d by P r o f e s s o r

G u i l f o r d , h i m s e l f , m ig h t show a c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t n o t r e v e a l e d by t h e s e p a r a t e , m ore e l e m e n t a l tra its .

CHAPTER IV THE SAMPLE AND SUB-GROUPS I n t h e a n a l y s i s o f a p a r t i c u l a r g ro u p o f p e r s o n s t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e f i n d i n g s i s d e p e n d e n t upon t h e r e p r e s e n t a ­ t i v e n e s s o f t h e s a m p le , V

I.

SELECTION OF THE SAMPLE

The p o p u l a t i o n .

The u n i v e r s e o f t h i s

s t u d y w as t h e

s e n i o r s and t h e i r p a r e n t s i n a c i t y h i g h s c h o o l o f S o u t h e r n C a lifo rn ia ,

The s e n i o r s n u m b ere d 438 o u t o f a t o t a l e n ­

r o l l m e n t o f a b o u t 1800 i n t h e

sc h o o l.

Two h u n d r e d f o r t y -

s e v e n w e re g i r l s and 211 w e re b o y s . The s i z e of t h e s a m p l e .

T h e o re tic a lly i t does not

m a t t e r how l a r g e o r how s m a l l a sam p le i s , b u t o n l y how tru e a lik e n e s s i t

is.

T h i s p r o p o s i t i o n was s t r i k i n g l y

i l l u s t r a t e d by P r o f e s s o r G u i l f o r d i n a p r a c t i c a l e x a m p le w ith m a th e m a tic a l d e m o n s tra tio n and c o n v in c in g n e s s . d e m o n stra te d t h a t ,

He

g i v e n a t r u l y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sa m p le o f

3 8 4 , i f a p o l l showed a m a j o r i t y v o t e o f 35 P e r c e n t i n f a ­ v o r .o f a n i s s u e , t h e v o t e o f t h e e n o rm o u s p o p u l a t i o n s t h a t p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n s c o u ld b e p r e d i c t e d w i t h o d d s o f 1? t o 1 , a n d t h a t w i t h a sa m p le o f no m ore t h a n 66 4 t h e o d d s would b e 99 t o 1 t h a t t h e p o p u l a t i o n w ou ld

4-5 v o t e a s d i d t h e sample.*^ B. A. F i s h e r a l s o t e s t i f i e s t o t h e w o r t h o f s t a t i s ­ t i c s d e r i v e d fr o m s m a l l s a m p l e s , i f t h e a p p r o p r i a t e f o r m u l a s a re used. I t i s n o t t r u e , a s ’ t h e e x a m p le a b o v e sh o w s, t h a t v a l i d c o n c l u s i o n s c a n n o t b e d raw n f r o m s m a l l s a m p le s ; i f a c ­ c u r a t e m e th o d s a r e u s e d i n c a l c u l a t i n g t h e p r o b a b i l i t y , we t h e r e b y make f u l l a l l o w a n c e f o r t h e s i z e o f t h e s a m p le , and s h o u l d b e i n f l u e n c e d i n o u r ju d g m e n t o n l y by th e v a lu e of th e p r o b a b i l i t y i n d i c a t e d . P r a c t i c a l l y , d i f f i c u l t i e s a r i s e i f th e su b-gro up s a r e t o o s m a l l t o p e r m i t d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n b e tw e e n s t a t i s t i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t r e s u l t s and c h a n c e r e s u l t s .

But i f t h e sa m p le

i s t o o l a r g e i t may be i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r t o e sta b lis h

s u f f i c i e n t r a p p o r t w i t h t h e g ro u p t o k e e p i t

t a c t and in s u r e th e h ig h e s t p e rc e n ta g e o f r e t u r n s .

in ­

As t h e

p e r c e n t a g e o f r e p l i e s d e c r e a s e s , t h e sa m p le l o s e s i t s r e p r e ­ se n ta tiv e n e ss.

I t i s p o s s i b l e , f o r e x a m p le , t h a t t h i s

f a c t o r a s much a s a n y o t h e r — t o o l a r g e a sa m p le t o p e r m i t p e rs is te n t e ffo rt to

s e c u r e r e p l i e s fro m t h e r,u n d e c i d e d ,f

g ro u p ■— was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e p o l l s t e r s

J . P . G u i l f o r d , F u n d a m e n ta l S t a t i s t i c s i n P s y c h o l o g y a n d E d u c a t i o n (New Y o rk : McGraw H i l l Book Company, 1 ? 4 2 }, p p . 163-164. p

R. A. F i s h e r , S t a t i s t i c a l M e th o d s f o r R e s e a r c h W o rk ers (L on don : O l i v e r a n d Boyd, 1 9 3 6 ) , p . 19W.

46 t o p r e d i c t t h e outcom e o f t h e 1?48 p r e s i d e n t i a l e l e c t i o n . ^ I n t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y i t was n e c e s s a r y t o o b t a i n t h e c o o p e r a tio n n o t o n ly o f th e a s w e ll.

stu d e n ts b u t o f t h e i r p a re n ts

E ach h a d t o f i l l o u t q u e s t i o n n a i r e s r e q u i r i n g

a b o u t two h o u r s t o c o m p l e t e .

I t is d iffic u lt

f u l l c o o p e r a t i o n o f lay m en on a s c i e n t i f i c

to o b ta in th e

stu d y .

I t is

e v e n m ore d i f f i c u l t , when q u e s t i o n n a i r e s a r e o f a h i g h l y p e r s o n a l n a t u r e , to c o n v in c e p e o p le t h a t t h e i r re s p o n s e s w i l l r e m a i n a n o n y m o u s, u n i d e n t i f i a b l e b y t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r h im se lf.

I f t h e a t t e m p t h a d b e e n made t o o b t a i n t h e c o o p e r ­

a t i o n o f t h e e n t i r e c l a s s o f 458 s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s , t o t a l i n g tw e lv e or t h i r t e e n h u n d red p e r s o n s , i t

would n o t

have been p o s s ib le t o m a in ta in a s h ig h a p e rc e n ta g e o f r e ­ t u r n s a s w i t h a s m a l l e r g ro u p t h a t r e p r e s e n t e d t h e c l a s s . I n t h i s c a s e e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e sa m p le c o u l d be made t o f e e l i m p o r t a n t t o t h e s t u d y a s a member o f a s e l e c t g ro u p s p e c i a l l y chosen to r e p r e s e n t th e c l a s s .

O nder t h e s e c o n ­

d i t i o n s of h e ig h te n e d in d iv id u a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , r e f u s a l s t o c o o p e r a t e w ould p r o b a b l y be a t a minimum. One h u n d r e d and f o u r t e e n f a m i l i e s w e re c h o s e n f o r t h e

^Thomas L a s s w e l l and Edward McDonagh, ^ P r e s i d e n t i a l P o l l s : One Y e a r A f t e r , ” S o c i o l o g y a n d S o c i a l R e s e a r c h . 54: 1 0 0 -A , P i g . 1 , N ovem ber-D ecem ber, 1 ? 4 ? .

47 s a m p le , e v e r y f o u r t h one on t h e a l p h a b e t i c a l l i s t .

I t may be

o b j e c t e d t h a t s u c h a sa m p le w ould be u n d u l y w e i g h t e d w i t h c e r t a i n n a t i o n a l i t i e s o u t o f p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e i r t o t a l number i n t h e o r i g i n a l g r o u p , a s t h e s e nam es t e n d t o c o n v e r g e upon s p e c ia l l e t t e r s o f th e a lp h a b e t.

The p o p u l a t i o n w as . p a r t i c u ­

l a r l y hom ogeneous i n n a t i o n a l i t y b a c k g r o u n d , h o w e v e r , a n d i t w o u ld h a v e b e e n i m p o s s i b l e b y a c a r e f u l r e a d i n g o f t h e a l p h a b e t i c a l l i s t t o s e p a r a t e o u t a n y d i s t i n c t e t h n i c g ro u p in a c lu s te r .

I t w as f e l t t h a t t h e e x p e r i m e n t a l g ro u p o f

114 s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s w as a v e r y good l i k e n e s s , o r c r o s s - s e e t i o n , of t h e e n t i r e c l a s s a n d c o u l d a d e q u a t e l y r e ­ p r e s e n t i t f o r th e p u rp o ses o f th e stu d y . II.

SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAMPLE

Age o f p a r e n t s .

The mean a g e s o f m o t h e r s a n d f a t h e r s

w e re f o r t y - f o u r and f o r t y - s i x y e a r s r e s p e c t i v e l y .

M ost o f

them w e re b e tw e e n t h i r t y - s e v e n a n d f i f t y - s i x y e a r s o l d , b u t t h e r e w e re a fe w a s y o u n g a s t w e n t y - n i n e a n d a fe w i n t h e i r s ix tie s.

F ig u re 1 g iv e s a c l e a r p i c t u r e o f th e

s p r e a d and

d is tr ib u tio n of th e se a g es. E d u c a tio n o f p a r e n t s .

The p a r e n t s w e r e w e l l a b o v e

a v e r a g e i n e d u c a t i o n a l s t a t u s f o r t h e i r a g e g r o u p . As c a n be s e e n i n T a b l e I I , m ore t h a n s e v e n - t e n t h s o f t h e m o t h e r s an d a b o u t t w o - t h i r d s o f t h e f a t h e r s c o m p l e t e d h i g h s c h o o l a t

48 le a st.

A lm o st a t h i r d o f th e m o t h e r s h a d a t l e a s t one y e a r

o f c o l l e g e , a n d a f o u r t h h a d two y e a r s o f c o l l e g e o r m o re . N e a r l y one h a l f o f t h e f a t h e r s had a y e a r o r m ere o f c o l l e g e , a b o u t t w o - f i f t h s h a d two y e a r s o r m o r e , a n d n e a r l y one o u t o f e v e ry f i v e g ra d u a te d from c o l l e g e . N a tio n a lity . c a r e f u l l y d e te rm in e d :

N a t i o n a l i t y o f t h e p a r e n t s was n o t th e q u e s t i o n n a i r e sim p ly a sk ed f o r

n a t i o n a l i t y , a n d m ost o f t h e s u b j e c t s a n s w e r e d "A m e r i c a n ,” a s m ig h t h av e b e en e x p e c te d .

I f th e q u e s tio n had re a d

" c o u n try of your f a t h e r 's o r g r a n d f a t h e r 's b i r t h , " n a t i o n a l d e s e e n t c o u ld have been r e c o r d e d a d e q u a te ly .

O n ly t w e n t y -

f i v e p a r e n t s s p e c i f i e d a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n A m e ric a n , a n d t h e s e w e r e t h e u s u a l S c o t c h , I r i s h , E n g l i s h , G erm an, S w e d is h , and so on.

T h e r e i s no way o f know ing w h e t h e r t h e s e w ere b o r n

i n t h e f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s and t h e o t h e r s w ere n o t , o r w h e t h e r t h e s e j u s t i n t e r p r e t e d th e q u e sti on d i f f e r e n t l y . R e lig io n .

The g ro u p was p r e d o m i n a n t l y P r o t e s t a n t .

E i g h t y - t w o p e r c e n t w e re P r o t e s t a n t , f o u r t e e n p e r c e n t w e re C a t h o l i c , and f o u r p e r c e n t w e re J e w i s h . F a m ily s t a t u s .

I n s e v e n t y - s i x h o m es, o r 67 p e r c e n t

o f th e f a m i l i e s , th e s t u d e n t w as l i v i n g w ith h i s r e a l p a re n ts.

I n t h i r t e e n h o m e s , o r 1 1 .5 p e r c e n t o f th e f a m i l i e s ,

one o f t h e p a r e n t s was d e c e a s e d .

I n s e v e n t e e n h om es, o r 1 J?

4?

|

- F a t h e r ’ s Age

£2 - M o t h e r 's Age Mean Age o f F a t h e r s - 46 Mean Age o f M o th e rs - 44 F ig u re 1 AGE DISTRIBUTION OF PARENTS

50 TABLE I I EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF PARENTS

G ra d e C o m p le ted

PERCENTAGES M o th e rs F a th e rs

6 th

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .0

7 th

9 6 .8

9 8 .8

8 th

9 3 .6

9 7 .5

9 th

8 7 .3

7 8 .8

1 0 th

8 2 .1

7 7 .5

1 1 th

7 5 .7

7 3 .8

H. S.

7 0 .5

6 6 .2

C o lle g e

1 y r.

3 1 .5

4 8 .8

C o lle g e

2 y rs.

2 3 .1

3 8 .8

C o lle g e

3 y rs.

1 1 .5

1 8 .8

C o lle g e

4 y rs.

8 .4

1 8 .8

4 .2

7 .5

G ra d u ate 1 y r . G ra d u ate 2 y r s .

5 .0

G ra d u ate 3 y r s .

1 .2

p e r c e n t o f t h e f a m i l i e s , t h e p a r e n t s w e re s e p a r a t e d o r d i ­ v orced.

And i n s e v e n h o m es, o r 6 p e r c e n t o f t h e s a m p le ,

t h e s t u d e n t w as l i v i n g w i t h one r e a l a n d on e f o s t e r p a r e n t . S iz e of f a m i l i e s .

Though t h e p a r e n t s h a d b e e n m a r r i e d

f o r a t l e a s t e i g h t e e n y e a r s i n m o st c a s e s , t h e a v e r a g e f a m i l y o f t h e sa m p le h a d b u t tw o o r t h r e e c h i l d r e n ( a r i t h m e t i c mean was 2 . 4 ) .

T h is w as a n i n d i c a t i o n o f g e n e r a l l y s m a l l f a m i ­

l i e s , a s t h e r e w e r e n o c h i l d l e s s homes i n t h e g r o u p t o b r i n g t h e a v e r a g e down.

The s i z e o f f a m i l y was i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e

h i g h e d u c a t i o n a l and eco n o m ic s t a t u s o f t h e s a m p le . Humber o f m o t h e r s w o r k i n g .

I n t h e u n b r o k e n homes one

f o u r t h o f t h e m o t h e r s w e re w o r k in g a t l e a s t p a r t t i m e .

In

t h e g ro u p a s a w h o l e , i n c l u d i n g b r o k e n homes i n w h ic h m o t h e r s w e re t h e

s o l e s u p p o r t e r s o f t h e f a m i l y , one t h i r d

o f th e m w e re w o r k i n g .

When t h e s t u d e n t s w e r e y o u n g c h i l d r e n

a nd r e a l l y n e e d e d t h e f u l l t im e c a r e o f a m o t h e r , i t i s p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e p e r c e n t a g e w as much l o w e r ; t h a t many o f t h e women w e n t t o w ork a f t e r t h e i r c h i l d r e n h a d grown i n t o t h e i r tee n s a t l e a s t ,

i f i n f e r e n c e s may be draw n f r o m t h e

h i g h incom e s t a t u s o f t h e g r o u p . S o c i o - eco n o m ic s t a t u s o f t h e

stu d e n t.

As a ch ec k on

so c io -ec o n o m ic s t a t u s a s a p o s s ib l e f a c t o r i n f l u e n c i n g th e p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f s t u d e n t s , a q u e s t i o n w as a s k e d t o d e t e r m i n e

52 th e ra n g e and v a r i e t y o f f e e l i n g s of s e c u r i t y o r i n s e c u r i t y in t h i s a re a .

Mine s t u d e n t s f e l t t h a t t h e y h a d a h i g h e r

s t a t u s t h a n t h e i r a s s o c i a t e s , t e n f e l t t h e y w e re s l i g h t l y lo w e r t h a n t h e i r a s s o c i a t e s , and n i n e t y - f o u r f e l t t h a t t h e y w ere a b o u t e q u a l i n t h i s r e s p e c t .

For e ig h ty -th re e p er

c e n t of th e g ro u p , t h e n , t h i s f a c t o r w as a c o n s ta n t; b u t i n th e re m a in in g se v e n te e n p e r c e n t , i t w as a n e g le c te d v a r i a b l e and may h a v e h a d a d i s t u r b i n g i n f l u e n c e . F a m il y i n c o m e .

The sam ple was p a r t i c u l a r l y u n i q u e

in re g a rd to f in a n c ia l s t a tu s . t h e f a t h e r s w as $ 5 1 0 . 0 0 .

The mean m o n t h l y incom e f o r

I f th e

s a l a r i e s earn ed by th e

w i v e s o f t h e s e men be c o u n t e d i n , t h e a v e r a g e in co m e i n t h i s g r o u p was $5 2 5 .0 0 p e r m o n th .

And t h e o v e r - a l l a v e r a g e ,

i n c l u d i n g t h o s e f a m i l i e s i n w h ic h t h e m o t h e r w as t h e s o l e wage e a r n e r , was $ 4 9 7 -0 0 a m o n th , o r j u s t u n d e r $ 6 ,0 0 0 a y ear.

Though t h i s mean was p u s h e d up b y t h e d o z e n o r so

v e r y h i g h s a l a r i e s i n t h e g r o u p , t h e m e d ia n a n d t h e mode w e re a l s o w e l l a b o v e n o r m a l a t $ 4 2 5 .0 0 p e r m o n th , o r $ 5 ,1 0 0 a year.

The r a n g e was f r o m $ 1 0 0 .0 0 a m onth t o $ 1 ,5 0 0 a

m o n th . Home o w n e r s h i p .

A n o t h e r i n d i c a t i o n o f h i g h incom e

s t a t u s w as t h e nu m ber o f f a m i l i e s t h a t owned t h e i r own h o m e s.

S i x t y - f o u r p e r c e n t o f t h e f a m i l i e s r e p o r t e d home

o w n e rsh ip .

53 O c c u p a t io n o f f a t h e r s .

The o c c u p a t i o n a l d i s t r i b u t i o n

was a b o u t w h a t one m ig h t h a v e e x p e c t e d i n a g ro u p o f h i g h e d u c a t i o n a l a n d econo m ic s t a t u s .

T h e re w e re a s many f a t h e r s

i n t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l o c c u p a t i o n s a s i n t h e u n s k i l l e d and s l i g h t l y s k i l l e d g r o u p s c o m b in e d .

I t may be s e e n fro m t h e

t a b l e t h a t f o l l o w s t h a t h a l f o f t h e f a t h e r s w ere i n t h e f i r s t th re e le v e ls .

Only one p e r s o n was c l a s s i f i e d a s u n ­

s k ille d . TABLE I I I FATHERS * OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION

O c c u p a tio n

Number o f fa th e rs

P e rc e n ta g e

P ro fe ss io n a l

7

8 .6

S e m i - p r o f e s s i o n a l and m a n a g e ria l

5

1 1 .1

C le ric a l, s k ille d tra d e s, and r e t a i l b u s i n e s s

24

2 9 .6

S e m i - s k i l l e d , m in o r c l e r i c a l m in o r b u s i n e s s

32

3 5 .5

S lig h tly sk ille d

6

7 .5

U n s k ille d , u rb an and r u r a l

1

1 .2

R e tire d

2

T o ta l

81

..........

2 .3 1 0 0 .0

54 III.

WSSTIONNAIRE RETURNS.

P e rc e n ta g e of r e t u r n s .

Of t h e 114 f a m i l i e s o r i g i n ­

a l l y c h o s e n f o r t h e s a m p le , o n l y o n e w as l o s t o u t r i g h t .

Re­

p e a te d e f f o r t s t o b r in g t h i s f a m ily in to th e s tu d y w ere of no a v a i l .

T hus 113 o r n i n e t y - n i n e p e r c e n t o f t h e f a m i l i e s

w e re r e p r e s e n t e d .

But i n s e v e r a l i n s t a n c e s w h e re t h e

s t u d e n t and one p a r e n t w o uld f i l l o u t q u e s t i o n n a i r e s t h e r e m a i n i n g p a r e n t w ou ld n o t . th e s tu d y a s in c o m p le te . sa n ita riu m .

T h e s e f a m i l i e s w e re l o s t t o

I n one c a s e t h e m o th e r w a s i n a

I n a n o t h e r , t h e m o th e r o f s e v e r a l s m a l l

c h i l d r e n had j u s t come home f r o m th e h o s p i t a l w i t h a new baby.

A t h i r d m o th e r i n s i s t e d t h a t h e r p r i v a t e l i f e was

h e r own a n d no one h a d t h e r i g h t t o p r y i n t o i t ;

h e r daugh­

t e r a n d h e r h u sb a n d t r i e d t o p e r s u a d e h e r o t h e r w i s e b u t c o u ld n o t .

One f a t h e r was i n t h e Havy and on a n e x t e n d e d

c r u i s e f o r more t h a n a y e a r .

A f a t h e r came t o tow n fro m

F l o r i d a f o r h i s s o n ’s g r a d u a t i o n , s t a y e d two d a y s , was p r e ­ v a i l e d t o t a k e a q u e s t i o n n a i r e w i t h h im , b u t f a i l e d t o re tu rn i t .

I n a few c a s e s t h e d i v o r c e d p a r e n t l i v i n g away

f r o m t h e home c o u ld n o t be c o n t a c t e d .

B oth p a r e n t s o f one

s tu d e n t f l a t l y r e f u s e d to be q u e s tio n e d . T h e r e i s a l i m i t t o t h e amount o f p e r s u a s i o n t h a t c a n b e b r o u g h t t o b e a r on a p e r s o n , an d t h e e f f e c t o f t o o much p e r s u a s i o n was e v i d e n c e d i n some q u e s t i o n n a i r e s t h a t

55 were n o t f i l l e d o u t c o m p le te ly .

As t h e r e w e re no names

a t t a c h e d t o t h e r e p l i e s i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o f o l l o w th e m up a n d c o r r e c t t h e s e

d e fic ie n c ie s.

A p p a r e n t l y i t was d i f ­

f i c u l t f o r some o f t h e p a r e n t s t o f i l l o u t q u e s t i o n n a i r e s o f a h i g h l y p e r s o n a l n a t u r e , anonym ous o r n o t . n o t so u s e d t o t h e s e

s t u d i e s a s w ere t h e

T hey w e re

stu d e n ts .

A t o t a l o f e l e v e n f a m i l i e s w e re t h u s l e f t o u t , l e a v i n g 103 c o m p l e t e f a m i l i e s t o s e r v e a s b a s i s f o r t h e s t u d y — f a m i l i e s w i t h one p a r e n t d e c e a s e d w ere c o n s i d e r e d a s c o m p le te i f r e p l i e s w e re s e c u r e d fr o m t h e s t u d e n t and th e liv in g p a re n t.

T h i s w as 9 0 . 3 p e r c e n t o f t h e o r i g i n a l

sam p le o f 114 f a m i l i e s . ^

Im p lic a tio n s o f p e rc e n ta g e of r e t u r n s . o f e v e r y f o u r t h member o f t h e

*

The f a m i l i e s

s e n i o r c l a s s w ere a p p r o a c h e d

and n i n e o u t o f e v e r y te n o f t h e s e c o o p e r a t e d f u l l y .

One

t e n t h o f th e c l a s s , t h e n , was n o t r e p r e s e n t e d i n th e s t u d y . To t h e

e x t e n t t h a t t h i s one t e n t h may h a v e b e e n a s e l e c t

g r o u p w i t h s o m e w h a t 'u n i q u e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , i t s a b s e n c e p r o b a b ly d i s t o r t e d th e s t a t i s t i c s and d i s t u r b e d t h e f i n d ­ in g s.

W h e th e r t h e i n c l u s i o n o f t h i s g r o u p w ould h a v e

f u r t h e r c l a r i f i e d and c o r r o b o r a t e d t h e t e n d e n c i e s f o u n d i n t h e r e s t o f t h e sam p le o r w h e t h e r t h e y w o u ld h a v e c l o u d e d t h e p i c t u r e and c o n t r a d i c t e d t h e o t h e r d a t a i s h azard o u s to g u e ss.

I t m ig h t h a v e w i d e n e d d i f f e r e n c e s

% f o u n d i n some c a s e s and n a rr o w e d them i n o t h e r s .

Where t h e

r e s u l t s w e re h i g h l y s i g n i f i c a n t i t i s p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e y w o uld h a v e r e m a in e d f a i r l y s i g n i f i c a n t e v e n i f c o n t r a d i c t e d b y t h i s unknown d a t a .

R e s u l t s t h a t w e re o n l y f a i r l y

sig ­

n i f i c a n t m ig h t h a v e b e e n f o u n d t o b e v e r y s i g n i f i c a n t o r in sig n ific a n t.

And r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t w e re s t a t i s t i c a l l y

u n c e r t a i n m ig h t h a v e p r o v e d t o b e s i g n i f i c a n t .

These p o s ­

s i b l e m o d i f i c a t i o n s m u s t b e k e p t i n m in d when i n t e r p r e t i n g th e f in d in g s ,

ev en t h o u g h i t i s b y n o m eans c l e a r t h a t a n y

c h a n g e s a t a l l w o u ld h a v e o c c u r r e d .

T here a r e c e r t a i n i n ­

d i c a t i o n s t h a t t h e e l e v e n f a m i l i e s l o s t t o t h e s t u d y c o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n a n a l t o g e t h e r hom ogeneous g r o u p ; some w e r e s t i l l m a r r i e d , some d i v o r c e d , some h a d b e e n d i v o r c e d and w ere r e m a r r i e d ; h av e found i t

some w e re u n c o o p e r a t i v e b u t o t h e r s m u st

d iffic u lt to

c o o p e r a t e t h r o u g h no f a u l t o f

t h e i r own, su c h a s t h e m o th e r i n t h e s a n i t a r i u m , t h e f a t h e r aw ay f r o m home i n t h e N avy, t h e f a t h e r i n F l o r i d a , an d p e r ­ h a p s t h e m o th e r w i t h t h e new b a b y . E v a lu a tio n o f th e p e rc e n ta g e o f r e t u r n s .

The s o c i a l

s c i e n t i s t m u st f a c e t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f h i s m a t e r i a l .

If it

i s n o t p o s s ib l e u n d e r a lm o s t i d e a l c o n d it i o n s t o g a in th e f u l l c o o p e r a t i o n o f more t h a n n i n e t y p e r c e n t o f o n e * s s a m p le i n a g i v e n s i t u a t i o n , t h e n t h i s f a c t i n i t s e l f i s a n im p o rtan t f in d in g .

P e r s i s t e n c e b e y o n d a c e r t a i n p o i n t may

37 n o t i n c r e a s e t h e p e r c e n t a g e o f r e t u r n s w h e re t h e r e i s a p o s i t iv e r e s is ta n c e to f i l l i n g o u t p e rs o n a l in fo rm a tio n sc h e d u le s. c o o p e ra te ,

T h e re a r e more s u b t l e w ays o f r e f u s i n g t o i t was d i s c o v e r e d , - t h a n t h e s i m p l e r e j e c t i o n o f

th e q u e s tio n n a ire . C i r c u m s t a n c e s c o u l d h a r d l y h a v e b e e n m ore f a v o r a b l e f o r th e s tu d y o f t h i s g ro u p .

The i n v e s t i g a t o r w as a

t e a c h e r a n d c o a c h i n t h e s c h o o l , a n d known b y e v e r y member o f th e sa m p le .

An o u t s i d e r w ou ld n o t h a v e h a d t h e e a s y a n d

c o n tin u e d a c c e s s to th e s tu d e n ts , n in e ty - n in e p e r c e n t of whom c o o p e r a t e d f u l l y .

Nor w o u ld h e h a v e b e e n so w e l l r e ­

c e i v e d t im e a f t e r t i m e i n p h o n i n g a n d v i s i t i n g t h e same home f o r an o p p o r t u n e moment t o f i l l

out th e q u e stio n n a ire s.

Many o f t h e p a r e n t s b e l i e v e d t h a t i t was a s c h o o l p r o j e c t a n d w e re a n x i o u s t o do t h i s l a s t t h i n g f o r t h e s c h o o l b e fo re t h e i r c h ild re n g ra d u a te d .

D u r in g " o p e n s c h o o l w e ek ”

p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s o f t h e s a m p le w e re i n v i t e d t o t h e s c h o o l i n t h e e v en in g t o f i l l o u t q u e s t i o n n a i r e s , and o v er s i x t y p e r c e n t o f them w e re s e c u r e d i n th e one w eek , f r o m t h e 1 s t t o t h e 5t h o f May, 194-9.

T h is s u r p r i s i n g s u c c e s s

m u st h a v e b e e n due i n some m e a s u r e t o t h e f o r t u n a t e t i m i n g when t h e c o n c e r t e d e f f o r t s o f s c h o o l , p r e s s , r a d i o , a n d P .T .A . g r o u p s w e re b r i n g i n g p r e s s u r e t o b e a r on p a r e n t s f r o m a l l s i d e s t o p e r s u a d e th e m t o have been t h i s

v i s i t t h e i r sc h o o ls.

I t may

same t i m i n g t h a t w as r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e im -

58 p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e s t u d y w as a s c h o o l p r o j e c t . I t was an u n e x p e c te d f i n d i n g t h a t u n d e r c o n d it i o n s a s fa v o ra b le

as th e s e and i n t h e f a c e o f c o n tin u e d e f f o r t

on t h e p a r t o f t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r t h a t o n l y n i n e t y p e r c e n t o f t h e sa m p le c o u l d be i n d u c e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e f u l l y .

U nder

w h at c i r c u m s t a n c e s do i n v e s t i g a t o r s o b t a i n b e t t e r t h a n n i n e t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f a p r e - s e l e c t e d sa m p le ? IV .

SUB-GROUPS OF THE SAMPLE

Heed f o r h o m o g e n e i t y .

The sa m p le was f o u n d t o be

q u ite d iv e r s if ie d as to p a re n ta l c o n d itio n s. v a r i a b l e t h a t had to b e c o n t r o l l e d .

T h i s w as a

I t w o u ld h a v e b e e n

c o n f u s i n g t o co m p are r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e tw e e n p a r e n t and c h i l d i n a g ro u p w here some o f t h e c h i l d r e n w e r e l i v i n g w i t h b o t h p a r e n t s a n d some w i t h o n l y o n e ; o r w i t h one r e a l p a r e n t and a s t e p - p a r e n t ; and i t w ould h a v e b e e n n e x t t o i m p o s s i b l e t o i n te r p r e t th e r e s u l t s . S iz e o f s u b -g ro u p s .

For p u rposes of a n a ly s is fo u r

s u b - g r o u p s o f t h e sa m p le w ere t r e a t e d s e p a r a t e l y : u n b r o k e n hom e,

(1 ) th e

(2 ) t h e home b r o k e n b y d i v o r c e o r s e p a r a t i o n ,

(3 ) t h e home b r o k e n b y d e a t h o f a p a r e n t , and (4 ) t h e home c o n t a i n i n g one r e a l and one f o s t e r p a r e n t . fa m ilie s,

Of t h e 103

s e v e n ty b e lo n g e d t o th e f i r s t g ro u p , t h i r t e e n t o

59 th e seco n d , t h i r t e e n t o th e t h i r d ,

and se v e n t o t h e l a s t .

The f i r s t g r o u p o f s e v e n t y f a m i l i e s w i t h t h e r e a l p a r e n t s l i v i n g t o g e t h e r made up s i x t y - e i g h t p e r c e n t o f t h e s a m p le and was t h e m ain g r o u p upon w h ic h t h e f i n d i n g s o f th e

s t u d y w e re b a s e d .

I n th e a tte m p t t o tr a c e th e e f f e c t s

o f m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t upon c h i l d r e n , t h e e x tra n e o u s e f f e c t s o f t h e b r o k e n home h a d t o b e c a r e f u l l y r u l e d o u t o r h e l d c o n sta n t.

C o in c id e n ta lly i t happened t h a t in e x a c t l y h a l f

o f t h e s e s e v e n t y f a m i l i e s t h e s t u d e n t s w ere g i r l s and i n h a l f t h e y w e re b o y s , m a k in g p o s s i b l e d i r e c t n u m e r i c a l c o m p a r is o n s b e tw e e n t h e g i r l s

and b o y s w i t h o u t t h e n e c e s ­

s i t y of c o n v e rtin g to p e rc e n ta g e s .

CHAPTER V FINDINGS The f i n d i n g s o f t h i s s t u d y w e re d e r i v e d fr o m a s t a t i s t i c a l a n a ly sis of th e d a ta .

T hey a r e r e l a t i v e t o t h e

g i v e n c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e e x p e r i m e n t and h a v e no p r o v e n v a ­ lid ity

i n a n y s i t u a t i o n w h e re t h e s e s p e c i f i c c o n d i t i o n s a r e

n o t m et.

I t h a s b een im p o s s ib le t o rev ie w a l l o f th e s e

c o n tin g e n c ie s

( p r e s e n te d in th e p re c e d in g c h a p te r s )

in th e

s t a t e m e n t o f e a c h f i n d i n g , b u t t h e y a r e none t h e l e s s im­ p o r t a n t and may n o t b e f o r g o t t e n i f t h e g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s a r e t o be k e p t w i t h i n t h e l i m i t s o f t h e d a t a , I.

MARITAL ADJUSTMENT

S t a b i l i t y of m a rita l a d ju stm e n t.

T h e r e w as no way

o f d e t e r m i n i n g how s t a b l e o r c o n s i s t e n t w as t h e a d j u s t m e n t o f a c o u p le in m a r r ia g e .

I t h a d t o b e assum ed t h a t t h e r e

w as no g r e a t v a r i a b i l i t y o r f i c k l e n e s s i n t h i s i t e m .

But

i t was p o s s i b l e t o d e t e r m i n e r o u g h l y t h e m a j o r t r e n d o f change i n m a r i t a l h a p p in e s s o f t h e p a r e n t s d u r in g th e l i f e ­ tim e o f th e s tu d e n t.

In resp o n se t o th e q u e s tio n :

”How

has your g e n e r a l h a p p in e ss i n m arriag e changed s in c e th e t i m e y o u r p r e s e n t h i g h s c h o o l s e n i o r was a yo u n g c h i l d ? ” t h e p a r e n t s w e re a s k e d t o c h e c k o ne o f - t h e f o l l o w i n g

61 answ ers:

*'(1)

I t i s a b o u t t h e same now a s i t was

t h e n _____ ; (2 )

I t i s more s e r e n e a n d s a t i s f a c t o r y t h a n i t

w as t h e n ______; (3) t h a n i t w as t h e n

I t i s m ore t r o u b l e d and u n s a t i s f y i n g . ,f

T a b l e IV p r e s e n t s t h e s t a t i s t i c s o f t h e s e r e s p o n s e s . I t may b e s e e n t h a t i n t h e u n b r o k e n hom es,

seven p e r c e n t

o f th e p a r e n ts r e p o r te d a d e c re a se in h a p p in e ss over th e y e a r s s in c e th e c h ild h o o d of th e

stu d e n t, fo rty -n in e p er

c e n t r e p o r t e d n o c h a n g e , and f o r t y - f o u r p e r c e n t r e p o r t e d an i n c r e a s e i n h a p p i n e s s d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d .

The c r i t i c a l

r a t i o o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e tw e e n t h e f i r s t a n d l a s t o f t h e s e p e r c e n t s w as 7 *2 , l e a v i n g l i t t l e

room f o r d o u b t t h a t t h e

g ro u p showed a s t r o n g t r e n d to w a rd i n c r e a s e d m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s w ith th e p a ssa g e of tim e ,

i f t h e i r m e m o rie s can be t r u s t e d .

How a r e t h e s e s t a t i s t i c s t o b e i n t e r p r e t e d ? r e p r e s e n t r e a l changes?

Do t h e y

P erhaps f a m ilie s th a t sta y t o ­

g e t h e r f o r a t l e a s t e i g h t e e n y e a r s become b e t t e r a n d b e t t e r a d j u s t e d a n d l e a r n t o accom m odate t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s a s t i m e g o e s on a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n grow u p .

Or i s t h i s

ju st a

r e f l e c t i o n o f c h a n g i n g t i m e s , fr o m d e p r e s s i o n d a y s , w hen f a m i l i e s w ere h a r d p r e s s e d , t o r e l a t i v e l y g o o d t i m e s , when life

i s e a s i e r a n d t h e man i s l i k e l y t o b e m ore s u c c e s s f u l ?

On t h e o t h e r h a n d , c o u l d t h e s e c h a n g e s be i m a g i n a r y ? t h a t case th e

In

s t a t i s t i c s w o u ld m e r e l y r e p r e s e n t a t e n d e n c y

62 TABLE

IV

CHANGE IN HAPPINESS OF PARENTS DURING LIFETIME OF HIGH SCHOOL SMIOR

H ap p in ess S t a y e d Same

H a p p in ess D ecreased M o th e r U nbroken Homes

F a th e r

6

4

M o th e r

F a th e r

M o th e r

F a th e r

35

36

31

30

r

B ro k e n Homes

6

17

26 %

6

CO

50

3 21%

53 %

C \J

13

44%

49 %

4

7

H a p p in e ss In creased

37

33

T o ta ls 11

50

39%

63 on t h e p a r t o f h a p p y f a m i l i e s , a s t h e s e p r e d o m i n a t e l y w e r e , t o im a g in e i n t h e i r c o n t e n t m e n t t h a t t h e y w e r e b e c o m in g b e t t e r a d j u s t e d w i t h th e p a s s a g e o f t i m e . These f i g u r e s a r e i n s t r i k i n g c o n t r a s t t o c o n c lu ­ s i o n s o f B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l , who f o u n d t h a t c o u p l e s i n t h e i r f i r s t y e a r o f m a r r ie d l i f e w ere q u i t e a b i t h a p p i e r , by p r o p o r t i o n , t h a n t h o s e i n t h e i r f i f t h

or s i x t h y e a r s .

I t i s p o s s i b l e , i n t h e i r s u b j e c t s , t h a t t h e honeym oon e f f e c t s may h a v e b e e n r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e .

T hey s u p p l e ­

m ent t h e i r f i n d i n g s b y a r e f e r e n c e t o a n u n p u b l i s h e d s t u d y by L a n g , on s e v e n t h o u s a n d t h r e e h u n d r e d and n i n e t y - t h r e e c o u p l e s m a r r i e d f ro m one t o s i x t e e n y e a r s .

They su m m arize :

I t may b e c o n c l u d e d f r o m t h e f i n d i n g s p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s ta b le t h a t m a r ita l h a p p in e ss , a t l e a s t a s re p o rte d b y f r i e n d s , t e n d s g r a d u a l l y t o d e c r e a s e a n d d o m e s tic - d i s c o n t e n t s l o w l y t o i n c r e a s e w i t h t h e num ber o f y e a r s m a r r i e d . **1 T e rm a n ’ s f i n d i n g s d i s a g r e e i n t h e o t h e r d i r e c t i o n . He s t u d i e d 792 c o u p l e s , r a n g i n g f r o m one t o t w e n t y - s e v e n y e a r s m a r r i e d , w i t h a mean m a r r i a g e l e n g t h o f 1 1 . 4 y e a r s . He fo u n d no c o r r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s a n d le n g th o f m a rria g e . The m o s t s t r i k i n g t h i n g i n T a b l e 32 i s t h e a b s e n c e o f a n y i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e a d j u s t m e n t b e tw e e n

b u r g e s s and C o t t r e ll, _o£* c i t . , p. 248.

64 h u s b a n d a n d w i f e im p r o v e s v e r y m a t e r i a l l y a f t e r f i v e y e a rs o f m arriag e . I f by t h a t tim e a s a t i s f a c t o r y a d ju s tm e n t h a s n o t been a c h ie v e d , i t p ro b a b ly n e v e r w i l l b e .^ I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o e x p l a i n how B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l , Term an, a n d t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y c o u ld be so d i v e r g e n t on t h i s p o i n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y when i t i s rem em b ered t h a t a l l t h r e e s t u d i e s em ployed p r a c t i c a l l y t h e same m e a s u r i n g d e v i c e . One d i f f e r e n c e i s a p p a r e n t , h o w e v e r.

The o t h e r s t u d i e s i n ­

f e r r e d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n l e n g t h o f m a r r i a g e a n d h a p p i n e s s i n m a r r i a g e fro m c o m p a r i s o n s o f r e c e n t and l o n g ­ s t a n d i n g m a r r i a g e s t o s e e i f new m a r r i a g e s w e re h a p p i e r th a n o ld o n es.

The p r e s e n t s t u d y h a d one s e t o f c o u p l e s

r a t e t h e i r m a r i t a l h a p p i n e s s f o r two d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s o f t h e i r m arriag e .

I n t h e f i r s t m eth o d t h e r e i s an o b j e c t i v e

m e a su re m e n t b u t no r e a l p a s s a g e o f t i m e .

I n t h e se c o n d

m etho d t h e r e i s a r e a l p a s s a g e o f t i m e b u t a r e t r o s p e c t i v e m e a su re m e n t. The f i n d i n g , i f t a k e n a t i t s f a c e v a l u e , h a s i n ­ t e r e s t i n g im p lic a tio n s f o r th e r e s t o f th e stu d y .

A ll

c o r r e l a t i o n s w e re made w i t h the p r e s e n t m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t o f t h e p a r e n t s , w h ic h may be d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e i r a d j u s t ­ m ent d u r i n g t h e s o - c a l l e d f o r m a t i v e an d i m p r e s s i o n a b l e

2

Terman, oj>. c i t . , p. 178.

65 y e a rs of th e stu d e n t.

Any c o r r e l a t i o n s f o u n d b e tw e e n t h e

m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t o f p a r e n t s and t h e te m p e ra m e n t o f t h e h i g h s c h o o l s e n i o r w o u ld t h u s u n d e r e s t i m a t e t h e maximum a s s o ­ c i a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e t w o ; a t l e a s t ,

i t m ust b e rem em bered t h a t

t h e c o r r e l a t i o n s may n o t b e i n t e r p r e t e d i n a n y a b s o l u t e s e n s e , w i t h o u t r e g a r d f o r t h i s p o s s i b l e c h a n g e i n t h e one v a r i a b l e f r o m t h e t im e i t w a s p r e s u m a b l y m o s t o p e r a t i v e t o t h e t im e i t w as m e a s u r e d . I t i s e q u a lly p o s s ib le t h a t th e re have been tr e n d s o f change i n th e p a r e n t s ’ tem p era m en ts; a n d , a c c o rd in g t o g e n e r a l l y a c c e p t e d p s y c h o l o g i c a l t h e o r y , t h e r e m ig h t h a v e b e e n a c l o s e r r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n t h e h i g h s c h o o l s e n i o r ’ s p r e s e n t te m p e ra m e n t a n d t h a t o f h i s p a r e n t s when h e w as a y o u n g c h i l d t h a n i s f o u n d t o e x i s t b e tw e e n t h e two a t a l a t e r d a t e when t h e c h i l d i s i n a d o l e s c e n c e . R e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n m o t h e r ’ s ad.j u s true n t a n d f a t h e r ’ s a d ju stm e n t t o th e m a r r ia g e .

M a r ita l a d ju s tm e n t cannot be

c o n s id e r e d a s a s i n g l e e n t i t y f o r t h e c o u p le a s a w h o le . The s i t u a t i o n i s n o t s i n g l e i n i t s e l f ,

but has d iffe re n t

a s p e c t s a n d m e a n in g f o r e a c h p a r t i c i p a n t .

One i s r e m i n d e d

o f K u r t L e w in ’ s p o i n t o f v i e w , t h a t e a c h p e r s o n l i v e s i n h i s own w o r ld t o some e x t e n t , a n d t h a t b e h a v i o r i s a f u n c t i o n n o t o f th e s i t u a t i o n a lo n e .b u t a ls o o f th e p e rso n in v o lv e d ;

66 an d t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n i t s e l f , t h a t one s e e s an d r e a c t s t o , i s i n t u r n a f u n c t i o n o f th e p e r s o n , and t h e r e f o r e d i f f e r e n t f o r e a c h p e rs o n .- ^ B u r g e s s and C o t t r e l l seem ed t o e x p e c t s o m e th i n g l i k e a one t o one r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n t h e w i f e ’ s a d j u s t m e n t an d t h e h u s b a n d ’ s , and v/ere d i s a p p o i n t e d i n t h e i r f i n d i n g o f a _ 4 c o r r e l a t i o n n o g r e a t e r t h a n *88 b e tw e e n t h e - t w o . B u t, a s w as p o i n t e d o u t e a r l i e r , t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e ­ tw e e n h u s b a n d and w i f e , t h e e x t e n t o f w h ic h w as unknown, m ig h t e x p l a i n t h e h i g h d e g r e e o f a s s o c i a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e s c o r e s , Term an w as more i n t e r e s t i n g o n t h i s p o i n t . The s c o r e s o f h u s b a n d s a n d w i v e s c o r r e l a t e d t o t h e e x ­ t e n t o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y , 6 0 , sh o w in g t h a t t h e h a p p i n e s s o f one s p o u s e i s t o a s u r p r i s i n g d e g r e e i n d e p e n d e n t o f t h e h a p p in e ss of th e o th er* T h i s f i n d i n g i s new and p e r h a p s ra th e r s ig n ific a n t. I t s new ness i s p ro b a b ly e x p la in e d by t h e f a c t t h a t no p r e v i o u s i n v e s t i g a t i o n b a s e d up o n a l a r g e g ro u p o f s u b j e c t s h a d s e c u r e d i t s d a t a b y m e th o d s w h ic h p r e v e n t e d c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e tw e e n h u s b a n d an d w i f e i n f i l l i n g out th e in fo rm a tio n sc h e d u le s. I t i s s ig n ific a n t in th e s u g g e s tio n i t c a r r i e s t h a t th e d eg ree o f s a t i s f a c t i o n w h ic h one f i n d s i n a m a r r i a g e d e p e n d s p a r t l y upo n o n e ’ s own c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a t t i t u d e s a n d te m p e ra m e n t a n d so n e e d n o t c lo s e ly p a r a l l e l th e h a p p in e ss o f o n e ’ s m a r ita l p a rtn e r.^

^ K u rt L e w in , " B e h a v i o r a n d D e v e lo p m e n t a s a F u n c t i o n o f t h e T o t a l S i t u a t i o n , " i n M a n u al o f C h i l d P s y c h o l o g y , L e o n a r d C a m i c h a e l , ( e d ) , p p . 7?1 f f . ^ B u r g e s s an d C o t t r e l l , o g . c i t . , p . 70 ^ T e rm a n , o p . c i t . , p . 3 6 8 .

67 B ut one c a n n o t b e s o c o n f i d e n t o f t h i s c o r r e l a t i o n when i t

i s rem em bered how t h e i t e m s o f t h e

s c h e d u l e s w e re

w e ig h te d . We h a v e . . . w e i g h t e d e a c h o f t h e n i n e i t e m s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o two c r i t e r i a : (1 ) t h e a v e r a g e m a g n itu d e of i t s c o r r e l a t i o n w ith each of th e o th e r e i g h t , and (2 ) t h e s i z e of t h e h u s b a n d - w i f e c o r r e l a t i o n f o r t h e i t e m i n q u e s t i o n . . . A c c o u n t was t a k e n o f t h e h u s b a n d - w i f e c o r r e l a t i o n on t h e g r o u n d t h a t t h i s i s a r o u g h i n d i c a ­ tio n of r e l i a b i l i t y . Would n o t t h i s t e c h n i q u e o f w e i g h t i n g e a c h i t e m a c ­ c o r d i n g t o h u s b a n d - w i f e c o r r e l a t i o n on t h a t i t e m t e n d t o i n ­ c re a s e th e in te rd e p e n d e n c e of th e t o t a l s c o re s of husband an d w i f e ?

Y e t t h i s a d d e d i n c r e m e n t o f c o r r e l a t i o n w ou ld b e

e n tir e ly sp u rio u s. The f i n d i n g s o f t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y w e re t h a t t h e c o r r e ­ la tio n

o f m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s o f h u s b a n d and w i f e i n

t h e g ro u p o f s e v e n t y u n b r o k e n homes was . 6 ^ .

But t h i s c o r r e ­

l a t i o n w as l o w e r e d c o n s i d e r a b l y when t h e g r o u p w as n a r r o w e d down t o t h e t h i r t y - s e v e n c o u p l e s who f i l l e d

out th e q u e stio n ­

n a ir e s a t school under th e s u rv e illa n c e of th e in v e s tig a to r and among whom i t i s known p o s i t i v e l y t h a t . t h e r e w as no c o l ­ la b o ra tio n .

The P e a r s o n i a n c o e f f i c i e n t o f c o r r e l a t i o n was

t h e n fo u n d t o b e *J?1 , s i g n i f i c a n t b e y o n d t h e one p e r c e n t le v e l.

I t may be o b j e c t e d t h a t a g r o u p o f t h i r t y - s e v e n i s

^Ibid., p. 56.

68

t o o s m a l l t o d e t e r m i n e p r e c i s e s t a t i s t i c s — and r i g h t l y s o ; b u t t h e y a r e no ne t h e l e s s a c c u r a t e . as to

I t c a n s a f e l y be s a i d ,

m a r i t a l a d ju s tm e n t s c o r e s o f h u sb an d s and w iv e s in a

l a r g e p o p u l a t i o n o f w h ic h t h i s t h i r t y - s e v e n

may b e c o n s i d e r e d

a s a m p le , t h a t t h e c h a n c e s a r e n i n e t y - n i n e t o one t h a t t h e t r u e c o r r e l a t i o n w o u ld be f o u n d somewhere b e tw e e n t h e l i m i t s o f .17 and . 8 4 . S t u d e n t s a b i l i t y to r a t e p a r e n ts T m a rita l a d ju s tm e n t. One o f t h e h y p o t h e s e s o f serve a s a f a i r l y a c c u ra te I t w as e a s y t o p aren t f i l l e d m a rria g e .

th e

s t u d y w as t h a t t h e s t u d e n t c o u ld

ju d g e o f h i s p a r e n t s 1 m a r r i a g e .

c h e c k t h i s h y p o t h e s i s a s b o t h s t u d e n t and o u t t h e same s c h e d u l e i n r e g a r d t o t h e p a r e n t s ’

O b v io u sly s t u d e n t s o f d iv o r c e d o r s e p a r a te d p a r ­

e n t s c o u l d r a t e t h e m a r r i a g e w i t h o u t much d i f f i c u l t y , b u t so c o u l d t h e n e i g h b o r s o r an y o n e e l s e k n o w in g t h e s e f a m i l i e s . E x c lu d in g t h e s e and c o u n tin g o n ly t h e n o rm al o r un b ro k en ho m es, t h e F e a r s o n i a n c o e f f i c i e n t s o f c o r r e l a t i o n f o r t h e p a i r s o f r e p o r t s w e re d e t e r m i n e d . '

T h e se h a v e b e e n r e c o r d e d

i n T a b le V. I t w as f o u n d , a s may be s e e n i n t h e t a b l e , t h a t t h e c o r r e l a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e m o t h e r ’ s m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t a s sh e r e p o r t e d i t a n d a s h e r c h i l d r e p o r t e d i t was . 3 8 .

U s in g

F i s h e r ’ s f i d u c i a l l i m i t s and S t u d e n t ’ s d i s t r i b u t i o n f o r s m a l l

6

9

TABLE V CORRELATION BETWEEN REPORTS OF PARENTS AND STUDENTS. ON THE PARENTS * MARITAL.ADJUSTMENT

M a r i t a l A d ju stm en t

M a rita l A d ju s tm e n t

N

F a th e r

M o th e r

e s t i m a t e d by

r

.0 1 l i m i t s

r

.0 1 l i m i t s

55

.5 8

( . 2 7 - . 8?

.4 8

(.1 2 -.8 4 )

Boy

55

.56

( .2 4 - . 88)

.56

(.2 4 -.8 8 )

Boys and G irls

70

CO

( . 3 7 - . 7 9)

• 52

( . 25- . 7 5 )

cr\•

G irl

P a ren ts* A v e ra g e

r

.0 1 l i m i t s

.6 2

(.4 2 -.8 2 )

70 7 s a m p l e s , ' i t may be s a i d t h a t t h e c h a n c e s a r e n i n e t y - n i n e t o one t h a t t h e t r u e r f o r t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w a s b e tw e e n *37 a n d . 79.

The c o r r e s p o n d e n c e b e tw e e n t h e f a t h e r Ts a d j u s t m e n t a s

h e r e p o r t e d i t a n d a s h i s c h i l d r e p o r t e d i t was . 3 2 .

T h is

a l s o i s " v e r y s i g n i f i c a n t " a n d t h e r e i s o n l y one c h a n c e i n a h u n d r e d t h a t t h e t r u e c o r r e l a t i o n w ould b e o u t s i d e t h e l i m i t s o f .2 9 and *75•

When t h e a v e r a g e s c o r e s o f t h e m o t h e r s a n d

f a t h e r s w ere co m p ared w i t h t h e i r a v e r a g e s a s e s t i m a t e d b y t h e s t u d e n t s , t h e c o r r e l a t i o n w as f o u n d t o b e . 6 2 , o r a l m o s t s u r e l y b e tw e e n .4 2 a n d . 8 2 . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o te t h a t th e m a r ita l a d ju stm e n t s c o r e s a s d e r i v e d fro m t h e c h i l d ’ s r e p o r t c o r r e s p o n d e d t o t h e p a r e n t s ’ own r e p o r t s

(w ith an r o f . 6 2 ) a s c l o s e l y a s th e

m o th e r’s a d ju s tm e n t sc o re co rresp o n d ed to th e f a t h e r ’ s , th e c o r r e l a t i o n o f w h ic h w as *6 3 . T h is i s a f a i r a s s o c i a t i o n f o r s c o r e s c o r r e l a t e d i n ­ d iv id u a lly .

But i f one i s i n t e r e s t e d i n g ro u p a v e r a g e s t h e

a s s o c i a t i o n i s much b e t t e r .

I t w as fo u n d t h a t t h e r e w as no

s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e b e tw e e n t h e m ean s o f t h e p a r e n t s ’ m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s and t h e a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e s a s e s t i m a ­ t e d by t h e i r c h i l d r e n .

7

The mean s c o r e o f one h u n d r e d f o r t y

J . P . G u ilfo rd , op. c i t . , pp. 129-31.

p a re n ts

( i n t h e g r o u p o f s e v e n t y u n b r o k e n homes) was 1 6 6 , and

t h e mean e s t i m a t e d s c o r e o f t h e c h i l d r e n w as 1 6 4 . 6 . fe re n c e of 1 .4 p o in ts

The d i f ­

( o n l y .3 3 t i m e s i t s S . 1 . ) was i n s i g n i ­

f i c a n t ; t h e r e i s no r e a s o n t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e t r u e d i f f e r e n c e b e tw e e n t h e m e a n s, e x c l u s i v e o f c h a n c e f a c t o r s o f s a m p li n g , w as n o t a c t u a l l y z e r o . A t l e a s t a s f a r a s g ro u p a v e r a g e s a r e c o n c e r n e d , t h e h y p o t h e s i s w as c l e a r l y s u b s t a n t i a t e d t h a t t h e h i g h s c h o o l s e n io r c o u ld g iv e an a c c u r a t e p i c t u r e o f t h e m a r i t a l a d j u s t ­ m ent o f h i s p a r e n t s .

And i n d i v i d u a l l y t h e s c o r e h e g i v e s

th em i s l i k e l y t o be a s c l o s e t o t h e s c o r e s t h e y g i v e them ­ s e l v e s a s t h e m o t h e r 1s s c o r e i s t o t h e f a t h e r Ts s c o r e .

In

o t h e r w o r d s , one w o u ld do no w o rse i n p r e d i c t i n g t h e m o t h e r ’ s m a r i t a l a d j u s t m e n t s c o r e f r o m t h e c h i l d 1s r e p o r t t h a n one w o u ld i n t r y i n g t o p r e d i c t t h e m o th e r * s s c o r e fro m t h e f a t h e r ’ s ; and t h e f a t h e r ’ s s c o r e ,

l i k e w i s e , may b e a s a c ­

c u r a t e l y p r e d i c t e d fr o m t h e c h i l d ’ s r e p o r t a s f r o m t h e m o th e r’s s c o re . II.

TEMPERAMENT 01 PARENT AND CHILD

The f i r s t q u e s t i o n t h a t h a d t o b e d e a l t w i t h i n t h e i n q u i r y i n t o t h e tem p era m en tal s i m i l a r i t i e s o f a d o le s c e n t a n d p a r e n t w as t h e s i m p l e q u e s t i o n :

I s th e r e a co rresp o n ­

d e n c e b e tw e e n t h e te m p e r a m e n ts o f t h e p a r e n t s t h e m s e l v e s ? I t h a s a t v a rio u s tim e s been h e ld

(1 ) t h a t o p p o s i t e s m a r r y ,

72 (2) t h a t l i k e m a r r i e s l i k e ,

and ( 3 ) t h a t s p o u s e s t e n d t o l o s e

t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l i t y , a s t im e g o e s o n , a n d r e s e m b l e e a c h o t h e r ♦

m ore and m ore i n a t t i t u d e a n d p e r s o n a l i t y .

I f th e f i r s t con­

t e n t i o n w e re t r u e , t h e c h i l d m ig h t b e p u l l e d i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c ­ tio n s in id e n tif y in g h im se lf w ith h i s p a re n ts .

I n t h e se c o n d

and t h i r d c a s e s , he m ig h t g e t a d o u b le a c t i o n o f i n f l u e n c e i n c e rta in t r a i t s .

I n o r d e r t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e t h e o r y o f homo-

gamy i n p e r s o n a l i t y c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ,

B u r g e s s and W a l l i n

t e s t e d some t h r e e h u n d r e d e n g a g e d c o u p l e s on t h e B e r n r e u t e r P e r s o n a l i t y I n v e n to r y .^

They f o u n d a s l i g h t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e ­

l a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e p e r s o n a l i t i e s o f t h e e n g ag e d on s e v e r a l t r a i t s , a v e r a g i n g a c o e f f i c i e n t o f .1 3 f o r t h e s e t r a i t s .

The

e x p e r i m e n t was a n a t t e m p t t o e l i m i n a t e p o s s i b l e i n f l u e n c e s on p e r s o n a l i t y o f th e c o u p le s l i v i n g t o g e t h e r in m a r r ia g e .

Un­

f o r t u n a t e l y , f o r th e d e c is iv e n e s s o f th e f i n d i n g s , th e y i n t r o ­ d u c e d t h e same s o r t o f u n c o n t r o l l e d v a r i a b l e i n t h e p o s s i b l e e f f e c t s on p e r s o n a l i t y o f c o u r t s h i p an d g o i n g t o g e t h e r , a s t h e a v e r a g e l e n g t h o f e n g a g e m e n t was t h i r t e e n m o n th s , some c o u p le s b e in g engaged a s lo n g a s f o u r y e a r s . In t h i s stu d y n e i t h e r p o s i t i v e nor n e g a tiv e a s s o c ia ­ t i o n b e tw e e n t h e t e m p e r a m e n t s o f m o th e r a n d f a t h e r was

E . W. B u r g e s s a n d P . W a l l i n , "Homogamy i n P e r s o n a l i t y C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , ” J o u r n a l A bnorm al P s y c h o l o g y , 3 9 : 4 73- 8 1 , O cto b er, 1?44.

73 found.

I n t h e t e n t r a i t s i s o l a t e d by The G u i l f o r d - Z i m m e r -

man T em peram ent S u r v e y , j u s t tw o e x c e p t i o n s t o t h i s s t a t e m e n t o ccu rred .

The p a r e n t s o f t h e t h i r t y - f i v e g i r l s f r o m u n b r o k e n

homes c o r r e l a t e d i n t r a i t 0 ( O b j e c t i v i t y ) w i t h a n r o f .4 1 ; and t h e p a r e n t s o f t h e t h i r t y - f i v e b o y s h a d a n r o f .42 i n t r a i t T (T h o u g h tfu ln e ss). m is se d th e

B o th o f t h e s e c o r r e l a t i o n s j u s t

.0 1 l e v e l o f p r o b a b i l i t y .

L e s s c o n f i d e n c e was

p l a c e d i n t h e s e c o e f f i c i e n t s t h a n m ig h t o t h e r w i s e h a v e b e e n t h e c a s e , h a d t h e y n o t d i s a p p e a r e d a l t o g e t h e r when b o t h g r o u p s o f p a r e n t s w e re p u t t o g e t h e r , t h e b o y s f a n d t h e g i r l s * , t o see i f th e m o th e rs re s e m b le d th e f a t h e r s i n th e la r g e r groups,

^hey d e se rv e c o n s id e r a tio n o n ly in th e p o s­

s i b l e i n f l u e n c e t h e s e c h a n c e c o r r e l a t i o n s m ig h t h a v e h a d on t h e c o r r e l a t i o n s f o u n d b e tw e e n p a r e n t and c h i l d i n t h e two t r a i t s , 0 and T .

An e x a m i n a t i o n o f T a b le 71 w i l l show t h a t

no s u c h d o u b l e i n f l u e n c e w as a p p a r e n t :

i n O b j e c t i v i t y th e

g i r l s d i f f e r e d w i d e l y i n t h e e x t e n t t o w h ic h t h e y r e s e m b l e d t h e i r m o t h e r s ( r = . 1 1 ) , on t h e one h a n d , a n d t h e i r f a t h e r s ( r s *3^) ° n t h e o t h e r ; and i n T h o u g h t f u l n e s s t h e b o y s d i d n o t resem b le e i t h e r p a r e n t . P a r e n t- c h ild re se m b la n c e .

M o th e r, f a t h e r , and h ig h

s c h o o l s e n i o r s e p a r a t e l y f i l l e d o u t The G u iIfo rd -Z im m e rm a n Tem peram ent S u r v e y .

The s c o r e s o f t h e p a r e n t s on t h e t e n

t r a i t s o f t h e s u r v e y w ere c o r r e l a t e d w i t h t h o s e o f t h e

TABLE VI CORRELATION BETWEEN' TEMPERAMENT TRAITS OF PARENT AND ADOLESCENT

G irls T raits

M other

(N J CO

T raits

Gii : 1 s (N = 33) Mother F a t h e r Average

.36

F riend­ lin e ss

• 19

•33

.3 3

.29

-.1 2

.06

.2 0

.06

.19

Thought­ fulness

.2 0

.04

.19

.14

.0 1

.0 9

.17

.0 2

.09

M asculinity

.0 2

.2 5

_

.14

.1 8

.0 2

.0 7

.17

.1 8

- .1 1

.03

OO

14-9 TABLE V I I I

MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AND TEMPERAMENT OF SPOUSES (C o rrela tio n of scaled scores)

M a r ita l A djustm ent

Mother (N & 70) T r a i t s o f Temperament

r

F ather (N = 70) r

C. R.

General A c t i v i t y

• 52

R estrain t

.0 8

.00

0.

Ascendance

.5 1

.11

1.3

S o ciab ility

.14

-.1 2

Em otional S t a b i l i t y

.4 0

.2 5

1.0

.2 9

1.9

.71

• 43

2 -5

• 05

0.01

Personal R elation s

• 52

.2 8

1.8

M ascu lin ity

.2 0

.0 3

0.

O b jectiv ity F rien d lin ess oughtfulness

1.4

0.

0.

TABLE IX MARITAL ADJUSTMENT OF PARENT AND TEMPERAMENT OF CHILD P e a r s o n i a n C o e f f i c i e n t s o f C o r r e l a t i o n B a se d on S e a l e d S c o r e s

in the

G i r l ’ s temperament c om p a red w i t h m a r i ta l ad justm ent of

Boy*s t e m p e r a m e n t compa red w i t h m a r i ta l adjustm ent of

Boys’ and G i r l s ’ temperament compared w i t h m a r ita l adjustm ent of

tra its of M other

F ather

P aren ts’ A verage -

M other

Father

P aren ts’ Aver a g e .

Mother

F ather

P aren ts’ Average

G eneral A ctiv ity

.0 9

.34

- .1 0

.0 6

.1 8

.0 1

.0 0

.0 1

.0 3

R estraint

• 3^

.1 7

.29

.19

.00

.1 6

.2 7

.0 8

.2 2

Ascendance

.0 2

. 1^

.1 3

.07

. 03

.0 3

.0 0

.0 6

.07

-.1 3

.16

-.0 3

-.0 9

- .0 6

.13

.1 0

.0 6

- .0 8

Im oti o n a l S ta b ility

.2 0

.1 7

.23

.0 8

-.0 9

.0 0

.1 6

.0 6

.13

O b jectiv ity

. 37

.29

.30

.24

.29

.36

. 27

.37

F riend­ lin ess

.38

.13

.30

.27

.04

.13

*31

.0 8

.2 1

Thought­ fulness

.27

-.0 4

.0 0

.3 0

.3 1

♦13

.33

.2 8

.0 9

Personal R elatio n s

.2 0

-.0 7

.4 5

.71

.2 0

- .0 3

.32

.03

.0 9

M asculinity

.13

-.0 9

-.1 4

.31

.1 2

.1 8

.04

.0 1

- .0 1

Socia­ b ility

_____ __ ___

TABLE X I I TEMPERAMENT OF CHILD AND H IS ESTIMATE OF H IS PARENTS’ MARITAL ADJUSTMENT P e a r s o n i a n C o e f f i c i e n t s o f C o r r e l a t i o n Based on S e a l e d S c o r e s

in the tra its

G i r l ’ s tem peram ent co mpared w i t h her estim ate of m a r i ta l adjustm ent of

B o y ’s t e m p e r a m e n t compared w ith h i s e s t i m a t e of m a r i t a l adjustm ent of

Boys’ and G i r l s ’ tem peram ent compared w i t h th e ir estim ates of m a r i t a l adjustm ent of

of M other

F ather

P aren ts’ A verage•

Mother

General A c tiv ity

v07

.03

.08

.17

R estrain t

.12

.10

.13

-.2 3

Ascendance

-.1 2

-.1 3

-.0 9

.09

S ocia­ b ility

-.1 5

-.15

-.10

Em otional S ta b ility

.34

.3 3

Ob je c t i v i t y

.3 7

F rien d lin ess

F ather

.20

P aren ts’ Average

M o the r

F ather

P arents’ Average-

. 17

.1 2

.11

.1 2

-.1 4

-.02

.00

.0 2

.2 7

.21

-.06

.01

.11

.15

.21

.1 5

.00

.04

.03

.35

.14

.19

.14

.2 9

.28

. 29

.3 8

.47

.2 2

.2 6

.23

.3 3

.34

.36

• 34

• 32

.3 5

. 02

.1 5

.14

.2 2

.23

.27

-.2 3

- .2 6

. 22

.04

. 00

.03

-.1 0

-.1 3

-.09

Personal R e l a t i on s

.1 7

.10

.14

-.0 1

.0 6

.0 6

.10

.09

• 12

M ascu­ lin ity

.0 5

.0 0

.0 3

.0 8

.0 9

.1

.03

.0 0

.03

Thought­ fulness

.13

.............