SOCIAL AMBITIONS OF TEEN-AGE BOYS LIVING IN AN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED AREA OF THE SOUTH--A RACIAL COMPARISON.

THE PURPOSES OF AN INVESTIGATION WERE TO TEST THE PROPOSITION THAT RURAL NEGRO AND WHITE YOUTH HAVE SIMILAR LEVELS OF SOCIAL ASPIRATION AND TO EXAMINE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE DRAWN FROM THE FINDINGS. THE RESEARCHERS HYPOTHESIZED THAT NEGRO AND WHITE YOUTH HOLD GOALS OF SIMILAR LEVELS IN REFERENCE TO INCOME, OCCUPATION, EDUCATION, AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE. THE DATA USED FOR THE STUDY WERE OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH MALE HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES IN THREE ALL-RURAL EAST TEXAS COUNTIES DURING APRIL AND MAY OF 1966. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS SHOWS THAT RURAL NEGRO AND WHITE BOYS HAVE SIMILAR ASPIRATIONS TOWARD INCOME, OCCUPATION, EDUCATION, AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE. ALTHOUGH THE GENERAL HYPOTHESIS IS UPHELD, APPRECIABLE AGGREGATE DIFFERENCES SEEM TO EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPINGS IN REFERENCE TO EACH TYPE OF GOAL AS FOLLOWS--(1) NEGROES HAVE SLIGHTLY LOWER INCOME AND OCCUPATIONAL GOAL LEVELS, (2) NEGROES TEND TO HAVE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL GOAL LEVELS THAN WHITE BOYS, AND (3) NEGRO AND WHITE YOUTH HOLD DIFFERENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE PREFERENCES. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCE SECTION IS INCLUDED ALONG WITH TABULAR PRESENTATIONS OF THE DATA. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE SOUTHERN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MARCH 30, 1967. (ES)