Originally published in 1976, this book relates psychology to the wider question of the nature and structure of society, particularly Western industrialized societies. It examines various types of man-made inequality, particularly inequality of educational opportunities, class and stratification and social mobility. It reviews the main theoretical orientations in the field and empirical research from a number of countries including France, Sweden, the USA, the former USSR and Poland and looks at issues associated with differing constructions of social reality.