One aspect of reference group theory, racial identification, was studied, and the effects of this identification on the acquisition of knowledge and the formation of attitudes were examined. Three hypotheses were investigated: (1) Children who perceive an instructional tape narrator to be a member of their own race will score significantly higher on a retention test than will children who perceive a narrator to be a member of a different race; (2) Children who perceive the narrator to be a member of their own race will rate that narrator higher on the various dimensions of source credibility and will also rate as more acceptable the content the narrator discusses than will subjects who perceive the narrator to be of a different race; (3) The effects anticipated in the first two hypotheses will be greatest among students who are low achievers and least among students who are high achievers. Eighth grade students served as subjects; 40% were Negro; the balance were white. All 256 subjects were exposed to a sound-slide presentation; then subjects were given three successive tests. All criterion measurements were subjected to analysis of variance. Statistical data from the experiment were inconclusive. Though subjects clearly identified with members of their own race, this difference in reference groups had no significant effect on interaction between race of subjects and narrator when other criteria were involved. (Author/CK)