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This study analyzed the attitude of resignation to inferior economic status from the standpoint of ethnic origin, social and financial background, and response to job retraining opportunities. Detachment from others, lack of commitment and ambition, aversion to work and planning, and restricted hopes and aspirations were determined to be major elements of resignation. A population of 493 in Southern Illinois was studied. These were among the major findings: (1) high degrees of resignation were significantly related to sex (male), age (16-27 and 52 and over), race (Negro), religion (non-Protestant), and lower levels of education; (2) positive reactors to retraining opportunities tended to be relatively unresigned, while negative reactors tended to be highly resigned; (3) family cluster control variables (size and sibling structure of parental family, marital status, size of one's own family) and past occupation and desired occupation had less effect on the association between resignation and reaction than personal and regional (birthplace, place of rearing, mobility) variables. (Four other brief studies of resignation are included.) (ly)