Research has shown student field-independent cognitive style (FI), as opposed to field-dependent cognitive style (FD), to be correlated moderately with success on selected second language tasks. A trait-treatment interaction approach was utilized in this study to examine the role of FD/I among 236 college students enrolled in six sections of an introductory Spanish course. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the significance of student style, teacher style, and student-teacher stylistic match or mismatch upon second language achievement. Field dependence was assessed with the Group Embedded Figures Test and subjects were then classified as FD or FI with a median-split technique. Factorial analyses revealed a significant main effect for student style in performance on measures of Spanish linguistic, communicative, and integrative competence. In each instance the FI group of students exhibited a superior performance. There was no main effect for teacher style nor were there any significant interaction effects. It was concluded that the learner factor (FD/I cognitive style) was of more importance in achievement than the situational factor (teacher style). It is suggested that further naturalistic, ethnographic research be undertaken to examine student-teacher styles as process variables in the second language classroom to complement outcome-oriented studies such as this one. (Author)