The nature of teaching method-learning product interaction has long been a problem stimulating research (2,19). The weight of evidence appears to favor Wolfle's conclusion that teaching method is a relatively unimportant variable. Recent evidence on learner personality-method interaction (13, 18), however, indicates that the problem is yet to be settled unequivocally. As a result of such evidence, Birney and McKeachie have suggested that, in teachingmethods research, designs should be utilized which remove the variance attributable to relatively permanent personality traits (IS).This paper reports results of the gains in reading efficiency among college students when the teaching method was varied systematically for groups of subjects representative of two personality syndromes. PRELIMINARY WORKThe hypotheses tested in the present study are derived from three lines of investigation: (1) personality structure; (2) course organization and anxiety; and (3) personality structure and reading improvement.(1) Personality Structure. The first line of investigation resulted in a partial synthesis of Freudian and Lewinian views on personality structure, anxiety and the effects of anxiety within individuals differing in structure (12). The senior writer suggested that two important dimensions of personality are: (1) a generalized anxiety and (2) degree of permeability. 1 The second dimension is conceived as relative thickness of "tension system" boundaries, in Lewin's terms (8), giving rise to differences in "permeability" or ease of communication among systems. It was further suggested that

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