Using a sample of 757 middle-aged and older residents of the Atlanta metropolitan region, the relationship between primary group contact and morale was investigated. With a control for sex and dependency, results indicated that: (1) interaction with children has a negative impact on the morale of dependent, older males; (2) visits with children and grandchildren are perceived by the dependent older male as a drama in which the ascending generations legitimize their claims to leadership through a gradual process of situation redefinition; and (3) one manifest result of having to cede control to middle-aged offspring is lower morale on the part of the older male. (Author)