Summary—The work reported involved detailed study of 14 students learning a large and complex body of subject matter. A specific aspect of learning strategy (the extent to which students developed their understanding on a broad or narrow front) was examined. In general the results support hypotheses predicting positive relationships between a broad strategy in learning, wide attention deployment, a flexible approach to problem‐solving and cognitive complexity. The relationships of measures of intelligence, extraversion and neuroticism, to the above factors were also exami