To argue or not to argue? The role of personality traits, argumentativeness, epistemological beliefs and assigned positions for students’ participation in controversial political classroom discussions

Abstract

In a part of the video study “Argumentative teaching-learning processes” in civic education classrooms, students’ participation in controversial political classroom discussions is described and related to personality traits and communicative dispositions. Besides person-related variables, effects of assigned positions for in-class discussion on participation were investigated. Based on research from educational psychology, civic education and the political sciences, it was assumed that the tendency to approach or avoid arguments such as in political discussions is meaningfully affected by five-factor personality traits and epistemological beliefs. Regression and path analyses were conducted on a sample of nine civic education classes at the eighth and ninth grades (N = 221 students) in North Rhine-Westphalia. Results primarily confirmed expectations and revealed that participation in controversial classroom discussions, but not in teacher-led classroom talk, was clearly associated with relatively stable personality traits and dispositions. Students that had to argue a position divergent to their personal view on the controversy were less likely to take part in the discussion. These findings have practical implications for instructors.