IDENTIFICATION OF SOME OF THE VARIABLES THAT ENCOURAGE OR DISCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN ADULT EDUCATION AMONG MIDDLE-CLASS AND WORKING-CLASS MEN WAS THE BASIS FOR THIS STUDY. A COMMUNITY SURVEY WAS USED TO LOCATE A SAMPLE OF PARTICIPANTS AND NONPARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE DESCRIPTIVE DATA ABOUT THE RATES OF PARTICIPATION. A MATCHED SAMPLE SURVEY WAS USED TO PROVIDE DETAILED DATA AS TO WHY SOME MEN PARTICIPATE AND OTHERS DO NOT. THREE MAJOR FACTORS WERE FOUND TO AFFECT PARTICIPATION IN ADULT EDUCATION--THE LEVEL OF FORMAL EDUCATION, AGE, AND TYPE OF LEISURE ACTIVITY. THE STUDY FOUND THAT PARTICIPATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION WAS A RATIONAL RESPONSE TO OCCUPATIONAL SITUATIONS. NONPARTICIPATION BY MANUAL WORKERS WAS FOUND TO RESULT FROM MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ADULT EDUCATION. THE STUDY REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT SOME EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF WORKING-CLASS BEHAVIOR AND VALUES AMONG ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WHO OPERATE PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR WORKING-CLASS ADULTS. A FURTHER SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT AN IMPORTANT CONDITION FOR INCREASING MOTIVATION AND INTEREST IN CONTINUING EDUCATION MAY BE IN DESIGNING WORK SO THAT IT REQUIRES FURTHER LEARNING. AMONG THE IMPLICATIONS ARISING OUT OF THE STUDY WAS THE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT ROLE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN THE USE OF LEISURE TIME. (AW)