This research study examines the nature of socio-cognitive influences on general chemistry students' learning and success. In this study, "learning" means gaining critical thinking skills and "success" means good academic grades. From a social constructivist and postmodern perspective, learning and success are considered functions of enculturation and empowerment and are measured through a variety of quantitative and qualitative means. The epistemological basis for the study includes principles such as access to knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, postmodernism, social constructivism, and critical thinking. A discussion of epistemological racism, institutionalized racism, and the context of gender is also included as background to the study. Contains 66 references. (DDR)