In order to ascertain to what degree educational researchers are concerned with and involved in social issues, a questionnaire on social attitudes, activism, political attitudes, attitudes toward AERA, and research activities was mailed to 672 members of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). When demographic characteristics of the 386 returns were compared with total AERA membership, the sample appeared to be representative. Analysis of the returns indicates that there is a considerable amount of activist orientation toward social, political and educational issues, and that many members of the organization mistakenly believe that such activism is not widespread in AERA. Activism, futhermore, is somewhat greater for higher-status members of AERA, i.e., those who head research projects and write a good deal. AERA members also tend to have a positive attitude toward educational research and its relation to political and social problems. Also, a majority of members in the sample indicate a willingness to volunteer research skills for the use of community groups, even if such groups were challenging the public schools. Action suggestions include an annual AERA prize for the best research effort devoted to the solution of a pressing social problem and AERA encouragement of members' volunteering their research skills to community groups. (RT)