As science teaching becomes more inquiry oriented, science teachers are interacting more frequently with individual students. With increased interaction, pupil/science teacher interpersonal compatibility most likely contributes significantly to the development of students' science attitudes. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of role-specific pupil/science teacher interpersonal compatibility on the development of students' attitudes toward science. Six different science teachers, all using the discovery-oriented New York State Earth Science Syllabus, and students of twelve of their classes, were administered the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation Behavior (FIRO-B). In addition, the FIRO-BT (teacher) was administered to all teachers in order to index role-specific interpersonal tendencies. Students were pretested and posttested. Role-specific teacher compatibility appears to be a better predictor of attitude toward science than general pupil/teacher compatability. (LS)