Four social forces account for these behavioral differences: the changing economy, the changing racial and ethnic landscape, changing government policies, and changing families. Two related features of the changing economy are the structural transformation of the economy and the new forms of poverty. Technological breakthroughs in microelectronics, the globalization of the economy, capital flight, and the shift from an economy based on the manufacture of goods to one based on information and services have lowered the incomes of most, while increasing the incomes of the few. American society is also becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, which has occasioned competition for scarce resources. One of the reasons that the disadvantaged are faring less well now than a generation ago is that government policies today are less helpful to them. The government has done little to address the difficulties of people caught up in the economic transformation. Economic stress creates family and marital distress, which in turn affects the time and effort parents have to give their children. These structural changes occur within a cultural milieu that consists of American values and the messages sent by the media. These combine to promulgate lifestyles of materialism, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, hedonistic lifestyles, and easy sex. To address the negative influences of these forces, government and communities must cooperate to improve the economic, social, and cultural experiences of American citizens. 6 references