A STUDY WAS MADE OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SELECTED POSITIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AND PARTICIPATION IN ADULT EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS, WITHIN HIGH AND LOW LEVELS OF EDUCATION. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH A PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF THE ADULTS OF A RURAL WISCONSIN COUNTY, WHO ALSO COMPLETED FOUR SUB-SCALES OF THE CALIFORNIA TEST OF PERSONALITY. FOR THOSE OF LOW EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, PARTICIPATION IN ADULT EDUCATION ACTIVITIES WAS SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO AGE, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, INCOME, FAMILY STATUS, PERCEIVED ABILITY TO BRING ABOUT COMMUNITY CHANGE, AND WITHDRAWAL TENDENCIES. ONLY THE PERSONALITY TRAIT OF SOCIAL SKILLS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF ADULTS OF HIGH EDUCATION. SINCE 94 PERCENT OF THESE BELONGED TO AT LEAST ONE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION, THIS VARIABLE WAS ANALYZED ONLY FOR THOSE OF LOW EDUCATION. MEMBERSHIP WAS FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT STATUS, INCOME, MARITAL STATUS, PERCEIVED ABILITY TO BRING ABOUT COMMUNITY CHANGE, AND THE PERSONALITY TRAITS OF WITHDRAWAL TENDENCIES, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND OCCUPATIONAL RELATIONS. THIS MASTERS THESIS IS AVAILABLE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON. 156 PAGES. (AUTHOR/AJ)