EDUCATIONAL SUBJECT-MATTER PREFERENCES, INTERESTS, AND MOTIVATIONS OF STUDENTS WERE INVESTIGATED AS THEY RELATE TO INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC SUCCESS. AN INTENSIVE STUDY WAS FIRST MADE OF THE ATTITUDES AND REASONING ACTIVITIES OF INDIVIDUALS AT VARYING LEVELS WITHIN THE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AREA, USING--(1) WRITTEN AND ORAL PROTOCOLS, (2) OBSERVATIONS, AND (3) PREVIOUS CENSUS, SURVEY, AND INVENTORY INFORMATION. STATISTICS IN THE GATHERED MATERIAL INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL SUBJECT AREA GRADES, PERSONAL DATA, EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS, STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT SCORES IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE, AND GROUP-INDIVIDUAL TESTS ON INTERESTS AND ATTITUDES. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE OF SUBJECTS WAS ASSESSED BY A CASE STUDY METHOD. FINDINGS OF THE OVERALL RESEARCH WERE PRESENTED UNDER FOUR HEADINGS--(1) THE INFLUENCE OF THE PEER GROUP, (2) THE EFFECT OF AN INTEREST IN DELIBERATE MENTAL ACTIVITY UPON ACHIEVEMENT, (3) THE SPECIALIZATION OF THESE INTERESTS AS BEING SOCIALLY OR NONSOCIALLY ORIENTED, AND (4) THE INFLUENCE OF THE STATUS AND STYLE OF LIFE OF THE FATHER. AREAS OF FURTHER RESEARCH WERE INDICATED. RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING ATTITUDES AND ACHIEVEMENTS, PANEL STUDIES OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MOTIVATIONS, AND STUDIES OF SCHOOL PROGRAM VARIETIES. (JH)