Detroit Area Study, 1968: Black Attitudes in Detroit (ICPSR 7324)
This study sampled Black households within the city of Detroit in the spring and summer of 1968 and interviewed the head of household or spouse of the head of household. The study examined contact between Blacks and Whites and the views of Blacks regarding Black militancy, community control, Black consciousness, and anti-White sentiments. Questions included in the interview determined the number and type of contacts respondents had with whites, the respondents' attitudes toward child-rearing, and political activities at neighborhood churches. Perceptions of various local problems were probed, including the effects of the 1967 Detroit riots. Respondents were also asked about the best means for Blacks to gain their rights and reasons for the high unemployment rate in Detroit. Other topics covered respondents' experiences with and awareness of racial discrimination in the areas of housing, local police activities, business relations, and job opportunities. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, marital status, religious affiliation, and church activities. The respondent's residence up to age 10, length of residence in Detroit and in their current neighborhood, and the racial composition of the neighborhood were ascertained. Respondent's educational level, the racial composition of schools the respondent attended, and respondent's service in the military were also recorded. Other demographic information was gathered regarding the number of adults and children living in the household, as well as the number of rooms in the house, family income, and income sources. The respondent was also asked about the educational levels and occupations of other family members.
Detroit Area Study, 1969: White Attitudes and Actions on Urban Problems (ICPSR 7407)
This study examines the attitudes of White adults living in the greater Detroit Metropolitan area toward neighbors and Blacks. In particular, the study measured respondents' reactions to Blacks moving into their neighborhood, Black children playing with their child, and Blacks working at the same job. The study also assessed the current neighborhood situation with respect to the dominant socioeconomic patterns. Demographic information includes respondent's age, gender, marital status, employment status, family income, religious preference, and occupation.
Detroit Area Study, 1971: Social Problems and Social Change in Detroit (ICPSR 7325)
The study was conducted during the spring and summer of 1971. The aim of the 1971 Detroit Area Study was to gather information on social change in the Detroit area by replicating items from nine earlier Detroit Area Studies that were conducted in 1953-1959, 1968, and 1969. The criteria used for selecting the question items were that they: (1) not be dated by wording or subject matter, (2) be relevant to some problem of current public concern or a continuing issue of sociological theory, and (3) be of the type that would be manageable in a long interview on diverse subjects. The questions chosen to be included in the 1971 Detroit Area Study examined issues such as values in marriage, ideal number of children, satisfaction of wives with marriage, decision-making and division of labor within a marriage, attitudes toward women and work, child-rearing, social participation, religious participation and beliefs, moral and job values, political orientation and participation, evaluation of various institutions, and racial attitudes. In addition to the items replicated from the previous studies, respondents' attitudes toward the United States sending troops to Vietnam were explored. Background variables established respondents' age, sex, race, educational level, marital status, occupation, class identification, and relationship to head of household. Demographic information was also collected on the respondent's spouse and parents.
Detroit Area Study, 1976: A Study of Metropolitan and Neighborhood Problems (ICPSR 7906)
This survey was concerned with respondents' opinions of their neighborhoods, public policy issues, and racial issues. Housing discrimination, Black/White racial attitudes, and busing to achieve school integration were among the issues surveyed. Information was also collected on respondents' employment status and reasons for moving from or staying in their neighborhoods.
Detroit Area Study, 1991: Collective Memories (ICPSR 2160)
For this survey, respondents were asked to consider key historical national and world events since 1930 and to describe the impact of these events upon their lives and why these events seemed especially important. The list of events respondents were queried about included the invention of the television, the decline of communism in eastern Europe, the Korean War, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, space exploration, terrorism and hostage-taking, and the threat of nuclear war. Those queried were also asked about events or changes that were especially poignant to them and whether they kept memorabilia from the past, such as items from World War II, the Holocaust, or the Vietnam War. Specific questions on the events of World War II were included in the survey. Respondents also answered questions regarding events or changes related to their own interests, such as religion, sports, music, television, and films. Background information includes religion, marital status, education, employment, political orientation, and income.