1983-84 Annual Report
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has been &hated K&J the Unhwsify of Chicago since 1947. NORC is commifted to conduct@ and pmmotiag social science, social policy, and survey research on topes ofimportance. The mlIection, analpis, and dissemination of data on such centralsubjectsas education, thelabor force, ihe fam& health, REPORT 198 32.Lq1 9 8 4 - - - ' . a social science research center , university of chicae CONTENTS 1 Report From the Director 5 Report on Recent and Current Activities 7 Education 19 The Labor Force 29 The Family 41 Health and Health Care 53 The Social Fabric 63 Methods 71 The Corporate Report Introduction The Survey Group The Research Group The Economics Research Center The Social Policy Research Center The Cultural Pluralism Research Center The Allensbach Institute The Administrative Group 81 NORC StaE 1983-84 87 NORC Projects: 1983-84 107 NORC Publications: 1983-84 iii Robert T. Michael NORC was founded in 1941 to do so- Opinion Research Center became NORC, cial research in the public interest. In the four A Social Science Research Center, not just decades since that time, the social sciences for ease of reference, however, but to ac- in general and survey research in particular commodate the fact that the organization have greatly increased their capacity to in- had outgrown its name. Though NORC form us all about attitudes and behavior in continues to do research on public opinion our society. NORC has been a principal con- concerning a wide range of social issues, the tributor to that progress, in both the methods scope of the organizationtswork has grown and the substance of social science research. to encompass not just attitudes but, increas- The progress in survey methodology ingly, behavior as well. Thus, the issues ad- and in techniques of analysis in the social dressed include, for example, both the sciences make this an intellectually exciting attitudes of Americans toward abortion and time. The pressing need to know more about the pricing practices of physicians. the behavior, attitudes, and expectations of As NORC's work has expanded on one the American people and their institutions dimension, it has become more integrated makes this a stimulating time. The uncertain- on others. This report takes as its organiz- ties of funding for surveys and analysis ing principle the topics around which through the federal government make this NORC's work has clustered in recent years. a challenging time. As the following pages illustrate, NORC has Through all of this, NORC remains developed substantial programs of research committed to conducting and to promoting in six central areas: education, the labor useful survey, social science, and social force, the family, health, society, and the policy research on topics of importance. We methodology of research. And even these see the strength of the social sciences in their six areas are far more intertwined than their inductive base, and we see, as an essential ' treatment in the pages of this report might part of NORC's mission, the fostering of in- imply. Indeed, one can see the six areas as ductive inquiry through data collection and essentially one: the study of determinants of dissemination and through use of data in so- well-being. The state and the family are pri- cial science and social policy research. mary decision makers; schools, hospitals, and other firms are important institutional NORC: 1983-84 actors in producing well-being; knowledge, NORC began the two-year period health, occupation, and earnings are aspects 1983-84 by changing its name-that is, by of well-being. NORC's five substantive pro- going from its original name to one by which grams of research, plus the advancement of it has become widely known. The National methods used to study them, are at the heart 1 of the sock1 sciences. This is as it should be We hope to establish a Methodology for an institution that for four decades has Research Center that will house ongoing been so intimately involved with these statistical projects that span the lifecycle of sciences. a survey from sampling to questionnaire The importance of these topics would construction to public use tape to analytical alone justify their choice as focuses for techniques for studying social interventions NORC's research efforts, but they were cho- or for studying longitudinal data in general. sen as well because of the experience and NORC has, for years, been a leader in sur- expertise of the staff NORC has developed vey methodology. Our new center will give over the years. NORC's work has been, and that aspect of our research more promi- continues to be, accomplished by an out- nence and potential. standing staff of experts in the technical Continued development of the com- aspects of survey research and in survey puter technology of survey research is an- management and an interdisciplinary re- other goal. In 1983-84, NORC made major search staff of economists, historians, polit- commitments to new technology, using the ical scientists, psychologists, sociologists, ever expanding capabilities of the micro statisticians, and social policy analysts. The computers, in both telephone and faee-to- integration of the efforts of this staff in sur- face interviewing. CAT1 (computer-assisted vey operations and analysis of social prob- telephone interviewing) and CADE (com- lems is seen throughout the body of this puter-assisted data entry) systems are now report. The six major areas of NORC activity in operation and plans for their expansion all involve both data collection and analysis. are underway. These systems minimize op- This integrative approach to inquiry is portunities for error and reduce the costs as- one of NORC's most attractive features. sociated with preventing it. They can also Consider a few of the subjects currently un- offer powerful assistance in survey manage- der sttidy, as described in later chapters, and ment. In sum, NORC is currently engaged notice how each can benefit from scrutiny in a systematic investment in its data from several social science disciplines and processing capabilities, an investment ex- from both theoretical and applied perspec- pected to yield good returns over the next tives: the effectiveness of Catholic schools few years. in America or of bilingual education in 1985 will see NORC move to new secondary schools; the role of an urban quarters. We will relocate to a far larger neighborhood or of an extended family net- building just a few blocks from our current work in promoting schooling, employment, location and still on The University of and health; the role of training programs in Chicago campus. Our new home has the military; the study of drug abuse, of tech- several desirable attributes in addition to its nology in medical care, of the health status greater size. In fact, one of these is a direct of adolescents in Harlem, or of the incidence outcome of its size: We will share the larger and consequences of adolescent parent- quarters with several University groups that hood in Illinois; the influence of changes in have interests complementary to those of public opinion on congressional voting pat- NORC. These include a number of smaller terns. There is a remarkably wide range of research centers from the University's Divi- important social topics under investigation sion of the Social Sciences and also the at NORC at any point in time, by a highly University's Computation Center, which skilled and dedicated staff. This rich intellec- houses and manages the University8smain- tual environment for research fosters balance frame computer. These associations should in inquiry. It is one of NORC's great further strengthen NORC's research envi- strengths. ronment and capability. Furthermore, the move will permit us to consolidate our sur- Plans for the Future vey operations in our home office. Thus, While this report features the events of while NORC will maintain a presence in the past two years, 1983 and 1984, follow- New York City, we will no longer have to ing the format of our earlier NORC: Report maintain a survey operations capability in 1981-82, it is fitting that it include as well at our office there. least some mention of plans for the near NORC's Social Policy Research Center future. will be superseded in 1985 by a new cen- # ter, the Chapin Hall Center for Children, NORC, effective in the fall of 1984, I should directed by Harold A. Richman, the current not take credit for the accomplishments of director of our existing social policy center. the past two years. NORC's management Made possible by the generosity of Chapin and research staff were ably and effectively Hall for Children, a private organization in led during most of that period by my Chicago devoted to the needs of Illinois chil- predecessor, Norman M. Bradbum, who dren since its founding in 1860, the new has since become Provost of The University center will conduct research on issues of of Chicago. policy relevance to children. It is with pride and enthusiasm that I Another collaborative effort began to undertake my new duties at NORC. This or- bear fruit in 1983-84-NORC's association ganization has an enviable histoy of intellec- with the Institut fur Demoskopie at Allens- tual and financial success in survey research. bach, West Germany, and plans are being As if to emphasize the interdisciplinary made for an increasingly active relationship character of NORC, over the past two dec- between the two survey organizations in the ades NORC has been directed by two soci- years ahead. As described in the Corporate ologists, a psychologist (twice), and a Report section of this volume, the two have political scientist, followed now by an econ- shared interests in survey methods and com- omist.