While there has been much research on psychological factors and drug response, the intensity of the search appears to vary inversely with the potency of the drug studied. There seems to be little replication in the studies. The four studies summarized here involved the same psychological variable measured by an abbreviated version of the Bass Social Acquiescence Scale. Studies one and two involved a double-blind comparison of diazepam (valium) and a placebo, and involved 20 psychiatrists and 60 anxious outpatients. In a third study, four pairs of women outpatients selected on the basis of extreme acquiescence scores were treated in a double-blind study of chlordiazepoxide (librium) and a placebo. In the fourth study, 28 medical students were selected on the basis of extreme acquiescence scores and randomly assigned to secobarbital and placebo groups. These experiments indicate a link between over-generalizing and reactions to mild tranquilizers. The findings also raise questions about effective treatment for high acquiescers and about the relationship between acquiescence and both beneficial and adverse drug effects. (KP)