Oscar and Rose Kaplan Public Opinion Surveys, 1934-1994

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Summary

Abstract:
Surveys, dating from 1951-1992, conducted by Oscar and Rose Kaplan, public opinion pollsters and analysts for businesses, politicians, attorneys and newspapers in the San Diego area. A small number of surveys were conducted in the Los Angeles area and nationwide. The files include questionnaires, reports, development materials, and newspaper clippings. The accession processed in 2009, dating from 1934-1994, contains public opinion surveys conducted by Oscar and Rose Kaplan. Also included are writings by Oscar Kaplan, general correspondence, and biographical materials from the Kaplan family.
Extent:
18.6 Linear feet (46 archives boxes, 1 half box)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Oscar and Rose Kaplan Public Opinion Surveys, MSS 178. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Background

Scope and content:

ACCESSION PROCESSED IN 1995

The Oscar and Rose Kaplan surveys document the Kaplans' career as surveyors and analysts for businesses and politicians in the Southern California area. The papers are mainly a chronological collection of questionnaires and reports dating from 1951 to 1992. The majority of surveys and reports in the collection pertain to the San Diego area, but work conducted in Los Angeles and nationwide is also included. The collection is divided into two series: 1) SURVEYS AND REPORTS, and 2) DOCUMENTS.

SERIES 1: SURVEYS AND REPORTS

This first series comprises the bulk of the collection and is divided into two subseries: Dated and Undated.

The Dated subseries is arranged chronologically. Each folder typically contains a sample of the questionnaire and a report of the survey's results. In some cases, one or the other of these elements is missing. Headings refer to report titles, or to questionnaire titles where reports are unavailable.

The surveys cover a broad range of topics. Some were conducted for state and local politicians such as Lionel Van Deerlin, Jim Bates, Ronald Reagan, and Pete Wilson. Businesses such as Jack-in-the-Box and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club commissioned marketing surveys by the Kaplans. The San Diego Zoological Society commissioned annual reports on recreational habits of tourists and residents, as did the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Kaplans were also involved in land and community development surveys which covered such topics as traffic light positioning, extension of shopping centers, and the practicality of new bank branches throughout the county. Yet other surveys were conducted in connection with legal proceedings such as the Sagon Penn and Joselito Cinco criminal trials. Finally, the Kaplans conducted a series of public opinion polls in the late 1950s for the San Diego Independent which paint a colorful portrait of local tastes and values.

Researchers may note that report or questionnaire titles do not always match folder headings. This is because in the original arrangement reports were occasionally found in folders whose titles reflected the intent and purpose of the survey, e.g., a poll titled "Civic Affairs Survey" may have been intended to find the extent of damage to a politician's public image in the wake of a scandal. In cases where this information was available, it was transcribed onto the new folder heading. Some questionnaires used to poll a single group of people were used to compile reports for a number of different politicians. In these cases separate folders were created for each politician, although reports often differ only in their "verbatim comments" sections.

The Undated subseries is arranged alphabetically. It includes surveys and reports whose dates are unclear, as well as fragments of unidentified reports.

SERIES 2: DOCUMENTS

The second series consists of materials which appear to have assisted the Kaplans in development of their own surveys and reports. These materials include applications to bank boards, academic papers discussing local and national politics, instructions for interviewers, and ideas for future polls.

ACCESSION PROCESSED IN 2009

The accession processed in 2009 contains public assessment material, including surveys, questionnaires, reports, and research material. The collection also includes general correspondence from Oscar Kaplan's other professional ventures, including committees, publications and coursework. The material in the 2009 accession dates from 1934 through 1994, with the majority of the collection spanning from 1957 through 1982.

The accession processed in 2009 is arranged in five series: 1) SURVEYS AND REPORTS, 2) BUSINESS DOCUMENTS AND RESEARCH, 3) WRITINGS BY OSCAR KAPLAN, 4) GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, and 5) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS.

SERIES 1: SURVEYS AND REPORTS

The first series, SURVEYS AND REPORTS, makes up the bulk of the collection and is arranged in chronological order. This series contains numerous public opinion surveys conducted by the Kaplans from 1941 through 1994. The materials include surveys from numerous businesses and organizations throughout San Diego, including the San Diego Zoological Society, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Convention and Tourist Bureau, Sea World, and the American Cancer Society. This series also contains correspondence regarding the implementation and findings of many of these surveys. These surveys also contain additional research materials, including surveys and polls from other survey companies, that the Kaplans used for their research and survey models.

SERIES 2: BUSINESS DOCUMENTS AND RESEARCH

Series 2, BUSINESS DOCUMENTS AND RESEARCH, includes material which the Kaplans used to create their own public surveys and reports, and contain survey studies and ideas for future research studies and public polls.

SERIES 3: WRITINGS BY OSCAR KAPLAN

The third series, WRITINGS BY OSCAR KAPLAN, contains reprints and typescript drafts of articles written by Oscar Kaplan. These articles include Oscar Kaplan's research on gerontology, mental health, and public surveys and opinions. These materials are arranged in chronological order.

SERIES 4: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

Series 4, GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, contains letters regarding Oscar Kaplan's professional career, including his research with gerontology and his work on numerous national committees and organizations.

SERIES 5: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL

The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL series contains biographical material about the Kaplan family, including resume and curriculum vitae for Oscar and Rose Kaplan, and biographical summaries for Oscar Kaplan. This series also contains photographic portraits of Oscar Kaplan, as well as photographs from various events in which Oscar Kaplan attended.

Biographical / historical:

Oscar Kaplan (1915-1994) was a pioneering pollster, best known locally for surveys he and his wife, Rose, conducted about all aspects of San Diego life. He is also an internationally recognized authority on aging, educated at UCLA (B.S.) and UC Berkeley (Ph.D), and was often referred to as the "father of geriatic psychology."

As a gerontologist, Oscar Kaplan authored Mental Disorders in Late Life(1945), the first book on geriatric psychology; was appointed as a special consultant in gerontology to the U.S. Public Heath Service in 1946; helped to initiate the White House Conference on Aging in 1950; founded the American Society of Aging in 1955, and was founding editor of The Gerontologist.

As a pollster, Kaplan founded the Center for Survey Research at San Diego State University in 1948, which he continued to serve until his death, and developed in the same year the first university course in the nation devoted to methods of measuring public opinion.

Rose Kaplan died on November 22, 2000.

Acquisition information:
Aquired 1994-1995.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Medical records from the accession processed in 2009, located in Series 1 and Series 5, are restricted in accordance with state and federal law until 2095.

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS

Terms of access:

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Preferred citation:

Oscar and Rose Kaplan Public Opinion Surveys, MSS 178. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Location of this collection:
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
Contact:
(858) 534-2533
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Website