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The article discusses issues related to subjective powerlessness in the U.S. The paper focuses on changes since 1952 in citizen efficacy or feelings of control over government for various sub-groups in the U.S. population such as blacks, blue collar workers, Southerners, Jews, young and old people. As with most issues in the study of social change, there is widespread disagreement on trends in citizen efficacy for industrial societies such as the U.S. Most theory predicts trends in objective powerlessness, rather than subjective powerlessness, although it is possible that trends in objective powerlessness do not match trends in subjective powerlessness. Within the U.S. at each point of observation, powerlessness does not vary much by stratum, except when education and race are used as indicators. And within the white population, some of the differences are heavily explained by educational differentials. It therefore seems fair to conclude that white subordinate interest groups are not oriented toward government as a result of what would seem to be objective powerlessness but more on the basis of their educational achievement.

The article examines the condition of the educational system in Canada. The changes in education are isolated and superficial. Complacency and concessions in change patterns are more prevalent. The autonomy is an obstacle to the educational progress of the country, already hampered by the continual movement of students across borders, in an increasingly mobile society. The confusion of identity and absence of institutional patterns is the result of cultural influences and immature social development.

The article discusses the possible influence of religious affiliation on educational achievement in the Soviet Union. Key issues discussed include the effects of the religion factor on social conduct, educational statistics indicating the educational development of different persons with varying religious affiliations including the Protestants, Orthodox, Catholics and Muslims, a comparison of the educational development levels of the said groups and key findings from a test of the thesis that religion affects educational attainment.

As part of a larger study concerning academically gifted college women gifted freshman women who graduated (723) were compared with those who did not graduate (528) on certain academic variables. Graduates took an average of 12.6 quarters to complete their degrees. Average length of attendance before departure for Nongraduates was 5.8 quarters. Graduation with honors was achieved by 51.9 per cent of the Graduates. Graduates and Nongraduates differed significantly in CPA (3.06 to 230), contact with the Counseling Bureau (43.8 to 30.9 percent), and in major fields of study. More Graduates had Liberal Arts (CIA) "social science," CLA Interdepartmental and double," Education, and Borne Economics majors. More Nongraduates bad CIA "English, linguistics, and languages," CIA - science and mathematics," and Business Administration majors. These results are discussed in relation to findings of the larger study concerning personality characteristics and vocational interests of gifted women, and a follow-up study of the Nongraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]