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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.

This survey focused on factors that influence social change in the Michigan tri-county area of Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties and the changes that have occurred over time with respect to different ethnic groups and women. Respondents' opinions were sought on issues such as job discrimination, including pay and promotion on the basis of race, ethnicity, or gender, factors that influence employers in hiring decisions, such as experience in line of work, formal education, references, looks and appearance, age, race, and gender, possible reasons for Blacks' having worse jobs, income, and housing than Whites, and factors that affect this situation, such as racial discrimination, perceived inferior ability, lack of educational opportunities, and lack of motivation on the part of Blacks. The survey also elicited respondents' views on factors influencing residential segregation, including the lack of affordable housing for African Americans and other ethnic minorities and the lack of Whites' acceptance of these ethnic minority groups in White neighborhoods. Other variables probed respondents' attitudes toward interracial marriage, segregated and desegregated schools, all-Black male and all-Black female public schools, nonviolent and violent means of social change among Blacks, government legislative measures such as the cut in welfare cost, parental approval for under-age abortion, the amount of federal taxes paid, and affirmative action for women and African Americans in job training, education, hiring, and promotion. Also explored were respondents' feelings about the quality of city and neighborhood services, public schools, crime, and the desirability of living in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and some of the suburbs around Detroit. Additional variables examined respondents' views on comparative wealth and intelligence among ethnic groups such as Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Arab Americans, and Whites, the degree of discrimination toward Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and women, and the high degree of self-reliance among immigrant groups and nationalities in the United States as compared to United States minorities such as African Americans. Questions on the respondents' educational background covered the level of education and professional qualifications. Additional information gathered by the survey includes duration of residence in the tri-county area and at the current residence, place of previous residence, employment status, place of employment, mode of transportation to work, income, current debts and assets, job benefits, previous military service, information on family and household members, religious denomination, presidential candidate preference, age, race, ethnicity, skin tone if Black, marital status, and gender.

This survey focused on the influence of education on respondents' attitudes toward a variety of issues, including crime, city services, police protection, neighborhoods, health-care coverage, taxes, public schools, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and government involvement in correcting class, gender, and race disparities. The survey also sought respondents' opinions on issues such as race relations, discrimination against women, racial balance in schools, laws against interracial marriages, housing discrimination law, racial profiling, and voting for a Black presidential candidate. Respondents were questioned on the comparative differences between Blacks and Whites in types of jobs held, housing, and level of income, and why Blacks were worse off than whites, the effects on property values of Blacks moving into White neighborhoods, and the high rate of unemployment and crime among Blacks as compared to Whites. Also explored were respondents' feelings about the death penalty, immigrants, other races, poor people, minority groups, affirmative action, homosexuality, television violence, censorship, and abortion. Questions on the respondents' educational background covered the types of elementary and secondary schools they attended and grades earned, level of education and degrees earned, and types of college(s) attended. Additional information gathered by the survey includes respondents' duration of residence in the tri-county area and at the current residence, place of previous residence, employment status, social class stratification, religious denomination, party preference, participation in social and political life, and knowledge of current affairs. Demographic information includes respondents' gender, age, marital status, race, and ethnicity.