The study was conducted to determine which variables present among nursery school children influence a child's perception of his teacher's role as a problem solver. The variables tested for included: (1) the race of the teacher; (2) the nature of the problem--one involving personal needs (affective) or one involving classroom achievement (instrumental); (3) the race of the child needing help; and (4) the sex of the child needing help. Subjects (black and white) included 26 boys and 35 girls ranging in age from 3 1/2 to 5 years. The subjects were shown twelve videotaped scenes each containing two children and one teacher--the children being of the same sex but of different race. Eight of the twelve scenes depicted one child with an instrumental problem--the other with an affective problem. The other four scenes were conflict scenes depicting two children both trying to get control of the same toy. After showing each scene the subject was asked to state which child the teacher would help. Findings indicate that neither the teacher's race nor the race or sex of the child helped influence a child's perception of his nursery school teacher. For middle class children, the only variable limiting the teacher's otherwise inclusive role is her principle responsibility to solve affective problems. The results of the conflict scenes proved not useful to this study. (MS)