To determine whether adults who were grouped according to selected variables differed in their reasons for participating in education programs, the Educational Participation Scale was administered to 322 part-time adult students. Focus was on age, sex, institution, level of educational attainment, and occupational groupings. The responses were factor analyzed, and the following five scales were developed: Social Relationship, Professional Advancement, Social Welfare, Escape/Stimulation, and Cognitive Interest. Some of the findings were these: (1) younger adults, 18 to 22 years of age, scored higher on the Social Relationship Scale then did any other age group while housewives scored higher than any other occupational group; (2) women as well as health and clerical workers scored higher than other respondents on the Professional Advancement Scale; (3) adult students 40-45 years of age along with housewives and health workers scored high on the Social Welfare Scale; (4) 18 to 22 year old adults in early transition scored higher on Escape/Stimulation Scale than those respondents who were in other life stages; and (5) respondents in the 40-45 years old mid-life transition were more highly motivated by Cognitive Interest Scale reasons than were those in other life stages. (EM)