Results of surveys (in 1967, 1973, and 1978-1979) of nonmetropolitan Mexican American high school sophomores from South Texas indicated that, although broad similarities existed between males and females, there were also specific patterned gender differences in social behavior and orientations. In status projection levels, particularly educational levels, the boys and girls were similar. Intensity of desire for attainment of occupational goals was similar for both genders. High school dropouts of both genders gave most of the same reasons for leaving school and experienced little or no training after leaving. Generally, both boys and girls desired, expected, and sought upward mobility. No consistent, marked gender differences were observed relative to use of Spanish mass media and to reading and writing of Spanish in various social settings. Boys and girls held similar ideas concerning the importance of religion in choosing a mate and their religion as a possible impediment to social mobility. In many respects, nonmetropolitan youth were very assimilated culturally in the core culture. However, when ethnic-specific differences between boys and girls did exist at the cultural, social structural, and psychological levels of intergroup fusion, the girls consistently tended to be more assimilation-prone. (CM)