The problem which this study addresses is the effects of cognitive style and variations in the free sort procedures on the sorting outcome of sorting time and number and quality of manifest partitions. This experiment was designed to look at the effects of the cognitive styles of field dependence, category width and equivalence range, initially-presented homogeneous, heterogeneous or completely randomized stimuli, an explicit sorting cue and resorting versus no resorting on total sorting time, and the number and quality of manifest categorization. Based on a review of the literature and results of a pilot study, a conceptual model of sorting was generated to predict the results. Subjects for the study were 12th grade, male students drawn from two schools within the same district of white middle class communities. On the basis of this research it would seem that some cognitive styles and variations in sorting procedure do affect sorting outcomes. Specific results are presented. (Author/RC)