FACULTY INFORMAL STRUCTURE, PUPIL CONTROL IDEOLOGY AND PLURALISTIC IGNORANCE

Abstract

Pupil Control Ideology is expressed in terms of a custodial‐humanistic continuum. A cutodial orientation stresses the maintenance of order through strong discipline and punitive sanctions; a humanistic orientation emphasizes trust and optimism concerning students' ability to be self‐disciplining. Pluralistic ignorance is defined as the shared misperception of an attitude, norm or belief held by members of a group. 296 faculty members from 17 elementary and two high schools in a single school district completed three versions of the PCI form and a sociometric scale. Findings mealedinter aliathat there were positive relationships between the individual teacher's PCI and his perception of the PCI both of members of his informal group and teachers in the school district. Individual teachers also perceived the PCI of the typical teacher in the district to be more custodial than his actual PCI. Although perceptions of the PCI of members in the informal group were also more custodial than actual measurements indicated, such perceptions were more accurate.