This report presents findings from four studies of adolescent behavior in high schools. A basic assumption was that organization structure has strong effects on behavior. The authors concluded that the large comprehensive high school's organization structure with emphasis on teacher initiated action, routine batch processing, and reliance on maintenance procedures creates a lot of time when students are required to do little more than be present. They use this time to carry on informal small-group activities. The organizational structure helps to keep these small groups separated. The student behavior in turn affects these organizations giving them a "low level of existence" or a lack of vitality, limited ability to control behavior, and inability to recognize or tolerate conflict. In contrast, the authors found that the organization of a small alternative high school produced more involvement in school activities, less class cutting, and fewer discipline problems. This organization possessed a "high level of existence" or vitality and ability to tolerate conflict. Contributing to the success of the organization were face-to-face interaction, commonness of purpose, and student freedom. In spite of advantages, the authors concluded that larger traditional schools would find the alternative program too radical for widespread adoption. (Author/JM)