The problem examined concerns the extent to which the family orientation, in terms of its status characteristics and socialization patterns, has influenced the unique styles of campus-based politics that have emerged in the United States during the 1960's. The objective is accomplished through a general statement of the role of the family, accompanied by a discussion of the associations between family status and socialization, socialization and student politics, and between family status and student politics. This is followed by the presentation of the multivariate theoretical model under investigation, a description of the student sample, the theoretical model operationalized in terms of its endogenous components, the method of investigation, research findings and a discussion of results. Results indicate that of the 600 college students in the sample, representing most forms of political beliefs: (1) about 30% of the total variance in direction of student politics could be explained by the variables in the model; (2) family politics proved the strongest predictor of the direction of student politics, with offspring closely following the political views of their parents; (3) both social class and family politics directly affected student politics but had no effect on socialization; and (4) religion alone was able to explain variance in the direction of student politics directly and sequentially through family political argument. (Author/KJ)