Students' preferences changed from applied to theoretical aspects of physics, and from recall of facts to identification of fundamental principles during two years of study of the Physical Science Study Committee in Australian High Schools. (AL)

Continues the work done by Mackay (1971) and Gardner (1973) in which attitudes of students enrolled in PSSC physics were assessed. (PEB)

Describes studies by L. D. Mackay and P. L. Gardner that were designed to teach attitudinal objectives in the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) course. Differences in results are attributed to the effect of socio-economic level, passage of time and reduced teacher enthusiasm, factors extraneous to PSSC, and a slightly different sample. (GS)

Reports data which provide a partial replication of an earlier study of changes in attitudes of Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) physics students. Data from the present research failed to support earlier findings. Several reasons for the discrepancies are advanced. (JR)

The study was conducted in Victoria on grade 11 pupils taking the first year of a two-year course based on Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) materials. The magnitudes of the teacher behavior and pupil personality effects were much larger than the effects associated with different curricula. (Author/MLH)