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Abstract
138 university students were divided into two groups, balanced on sex and mathematics background and allocated to the two treatments of programmed text, or textbook for the study of descriptive statistics. Following normal practice no compulsion was put on a student to make him complete either one or the other beyond giving the date of the post‐test. The program showed a greater control over student work habits, gave a higher overall mean mark on tests of retention, application and transfer, but 47 per cent, of this group of students completed less than three quarters of the program compared with 19 per cent. of those students following prescribed reading from the textbook. Further analysis shows a case for differential allocation to program or textbook on the basis of whether a student is prepared to pay the cost in terms of time and some uncongeniality of technique which the program demands because of its high final attainment standards. Significant predictors of suitable students are the personality scales of extraversion and neuroticism.