Summary: Publisher Summary 1 This is the first paperback printing of this 1965 sociological analysis of American youth edited by Muzafer (psychosocial studies, d. 1988) and Carolyn W. Sherif (psychology, d. 1982), both of Pennsylvania State U. The chapters and supplementary figures report findings on adolescent behaviors and attitudes within differing sociocultural contexts (e.g. the Black and Maori communities, lower class and "transitional" settings, mental health contexts), also addressing the state of the individual adolescent, youth subcultures, and family; youth in trouble (with an eye on gang activity and group organization theory); and age-mate reference sets within differentiated neighborhoods. Annotation 漏2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)   Publisher Summary 2 This book describes and analyes, from an interdisciplinary point of view, those problems of youth that are currently objects of remedial action on both community and national levels. It explores the many causes of adolescent happiness and discontent, behavior and misbehavior, aspirations and aversions in the rapidly changing patterns of contemporary class, institutional, and cultural settings. It provides practical information for all professionals concerned with adolescent problems and affords small comfort to any who hopes for quick results.Problems of Youthfirst considers problems traditionally considered in youth research, discussing adolescent attitudes and goals within a broadly applicable theory of adolescent development. The second part concentrates on youth problems in terms of their dynamics in social and cultural settings undergoing change at different rates. The third part presents studies of youth in trouble, offering guidelines for new theoretical and empirical approaches and underscoring the need, to study individual youth problems within their socio-cultural and class frameworks. The final part attempts through research and measurement the major sources of influences affecting youth.Reflecting the position that there is a constant danger of viewing adolescence exclusively through the eyes of one's own specialty, the contributors to this volume take a cross-disciplinary approach to the subject, drawing on resources of other fields to expand the perspective of their particular area of specialiation. In doing so, they offer all students of sociology, social psychology, and related disciplines a new, unified approach to the timely paradox of youth in transition with itself and with a world that is itself in transition.Muafer Sherif(1906-1988) was professor and director of the psychosocial studies program at Pennsylvania State University. He is known as one of the founders of the field of social psychology and also helped develop social judgment theory and realistic conflict theory. Carolyn W. Sherif(1922-1982) was professor of psychology at Pennsylvania State University. She wrote numerous important articles dealing with gender in society, gender in self-reference, and the need for gender to be studied in the sciences.