A group of rural sociologists initiated this 1958-1965 research project for the purpose of increasing knowledge about social and economic adjustments of low-income people in the rural areas of the South. Factors found to be associated with the adjustment of low-income families and individuals were anomia, level-of-living, joint decision making, job mobility aspiration, social participation, migration, and communication. These factors affected adjustment differently when people were categorized as homemakers, non-whites, or retirees. It was concluded that rural poverty cannot be attributed to a lack of ambition, and that a good educational program and job opportunities would alleviate many problems of rural people. (ES)