Instructor Verbal Aggressiveness Research Articles

A brief validity report for the instructor strictness scales: relationships with instructor communication styles

ABSTRACT Researchers have begun using strictness as a framework for better understanding the communicative nature of classroom enforcement strategies. In pursuit of operationalizing this construct, the purpose of this study was to provide extended validity evidence for the Evaluative, Regulatory, and Interactive instructor strictness scales through hypothesized relationships with different instructor communication styles: perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness, assertiveness, and responsiveness. Analyses revealed that the strictness subdimensions were positively related to verbal aggressiveness and assertiveness and inversely related to instructor responsiveness. However, on three occasions, students’ reports of strictness related to Norms, Availability, and Testing were not significantly related to assertiveness. Implications for the future study of instructor strictness using the proposed scales are discussed.

Perceived instructor argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, and classroom communication climate in relation to student state motivation and math anxiety

ABSTRACTThis study examined how student perceptions of math/statistics instructors’ argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness are related to student perceptions of classroom communication climate, student state motivation, and student math anxiety. A total of 216 completed questionnaires were returned by the student participants (96 males and 120 females). Results supported four of the seven research hypotheses and partially support another research hypothesis, indicating that perceived instructor argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness directly affect perceptions of classroom communication climate; these three perceptions directly influence student state motivation; and student state motivation has a direct impact on math anxiety. Implications based on the findings suggest that math/statistics instructors can adapt different communication behaviors to influence the reduction of student math anxiety.

Insights Into Instructors’ Verbal Aggressiveness and Students’ Machiavellianism Through Leadership Style and Motivational Climate

The aim of the present study was threefold: a) to explore the relationship between perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness, leadership style, motivational climate and student Machiavellianism, b) to investigate the influence of instructor verbal aggressiveness on their leadership style, motivational climate and student Machiavellianism in physical education context and c) to propose students’ and instructors’ typology. The sample consisted of 247 Greek students (128 males, 119 females) aged 14-17 years old (M=15.4, SD=.49) from secondary schools who completed four types of questionnaires during physical education classes. The results supported the internal consistency of the instruments. Statistically significant differences were observed in instructors’ verbal aggressiveness, autocratic leadership teaching style, democratic leadership style and students’ Machiavellianism between the two genders of the students. Perceived instructors’ verbal aggressiveness was negatively related to their democratic teaching style and mastery climate. Also, there was a positive significant relationship between instructors’ verbal aggressiveness and autocratic teaching style, performance climate and students’ Machiavellianism. The results of regression analysis revealed that perceived instructors’ verbal aggressiveness could significantly predict the variables of leadership teaching style, motivational climate and students’ Machiavellianism. Distinct types of relations between students and instructors may be distinguished: the “insurrection”, the “acceptance of authoritarianism” and the “effective democracy”. The findings and the effects of the instructors’ verbal aggressiveness on leadership style, motivational climate and students’ Machiavellianism are further discussed and future research issues are suggested.

Identifying the Content and Topics of Instructor Use of Verbally Aggressive Messages

The purpose of this study is to extend the research conducted on perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness by identifying specific examples of Infante's 10 types of verbally aggressive messages used by instructors. Participants were 225 undergraduate students, who provided an example of a verbally aggressive message used by an instructor. From these examples, 9 types of verbally aggressive messages were identified: competence attacks, work ethic attacks, swearing, threats, character attacks, nonverbal behaviors, teasing, background attacks, and physical appearance attacks. Future research should examine both the extent to which instructors are perceived to use these 9 types of verbally aggressive messages and the reasons instructors report for why they use the messages.

Perceptions of Instructor's Verbal Aggressiveness and Physical Education Students' Affective Learning

The study examined the effects of perceptions of instructor's verbal aggressiveness on students' affective learning, and, in particular, students' affect toward the course, course-related behaviour, the instructor, as well as students' satisfaction as a function of perceived verbal aggressiveness by the instructor. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine the psychometric integrity of the affective learning scale employed. The sample comprised 146 physical education undergraduate students (18-22 years old, M = 18.9, SD = 1.0). Results of a confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the factorial validity of the affective learning measure. Correlational analysis revealed a negative relationship between perceived verbal aggressiveness of the instructor and students' affect toward the course, course-related behaviour and the instructor, and students' satisfaction. The results of regression analysis revealed that perceived verbal aggression could significantly predict all the dependent variables; the prediction was particularly high for students' affect towards the instructor and students' satisfaction. Findings and implications for teachers' type of communication were discussed and future research suggestions were made.

Attendance Policies, Student Attendance, and Instructor Verbal Aggressiveness

The authors utilized an experimental design across six sections of a managerial communications course (N = 173) to test the impact of instructor verbal aggressiveness and class attendance policies on student class attendance. The experimental group received a policy based on the principle of social proof (R. B. Cialdini, 2001), which indicated that for similar students, class attendance was linked to high academic performance. Students also assessed their instructor's level of verbal aggressiveness (D. A. Infante, 1979). Results suggest that instructor verbal aggressiveness did not influence class attendance. However, social proof did positively influence class attendance rates under certain circumstances. The authors discuss the study implications.

Student Antisocial Compliance-Gaining as a Function of Instructor Aggressive Communication and Classroom Justice

This study investigated students’ perceptions of their instructors’ argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness, classroom justice, and effectiveness of and likelihood of communicating student antisocial behavior alteration techniques (BATs). Results indicate that student perceptions of instructor argumentativeness were not related to their perceptions of the effectiveness of or likelihood of communicating antisocial BATs, or to their perceptions of classroom justice. In contrast, student perceptions of instructor verbal aggressiveness were positively related to their perceptions of the effectiveness and likelihood of communicating virtually all the antisocial BATs and negatively related to all three types of fairness. Finally, classroom justice mediated the relationships between instructor verbal aggressiveness and antisocial BAT effectiveness and likelihood of use, but did not mediate the relationship between instructor argumentativeness and antisocial BATs.

The Relationship Between Perceived Instructor Aggressive Communication and College Student Involvement

This study investigated the link between college students’ perceptions of instructors’ aggressive communication and students’ involvement in and out of the classroom. Participants were 218 students enrolled in introductory communication courses. Results indicated that students’ reports of instructor argumentativeness were not positively associated with their motives to communicate, question asking, overt information seeking, interaction involvement, or out-of-class communication. Students’ reports of instructor verbal aggressiveness were negatively associated with their use of the relational, participatory, and functional motives to communicate as well as question asking, overt information seeking, interaction involvement, and out-of-class communication. Future research should consider the role students’ aggressive communication plays in their perceptions of their instructors, learning outcomes, and perceptions of the learning environment.

College student attendance: impact of instructor immediacy and verbal aggression

This study examined the attendance behaviors of undergraduate students. Much of the existing literature had focusesd on student variables in determining attendance in the classroom. In the present study, the focus was on students' perceptions of instructor behaviors instead. Students completed questionnaires and reported their own attendance in class, as well as their perceptions of their instructor's nonverbal immediacy and verbal aggression. Results indicated that perceived teacher immediacy was positively related to student attendance in class, whereas perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness was inversely related to attendance. This study implies that teachers have the power to improve student attendance patterns by altering certain of their communicative behaviors.

Student perceptions of instructor verbal aggressiveness: The influence of student verbal aggressiveness and self‐esteem

This study explored the effects of student levels of trait verbal aggressiveness (VA) and self‐esteem on student perceptions of instructor verbal aggressiveness in the college classroom. Participants included 228 undergraduate students who completed a series of instruments measuring self‐reported levels of VA and self‐esteem, as well as instructor levels of VA in the classroom. Results indicated that students who reported moderate to high levels of trait VA rated their instructors as being more verbally aggressive than those students who reported low levels of trait VA. Likewise, students who reported low to moderate levels of self‐esteem rated their instructors as being more verbally aggressive than those students who reported high levels of self‐esteem. When combined, student VA and self‐esteem accounted for 7% of the shared variance in student perceptions of instructor VA.

Students' Appraisals of Instructors as a Function of Students' Perceptions of Instructors' Aggressive Communication

Encouraging students to think critically often requires instructors to challenge their students in classroom discussion. It is crucial, however, that instructors adopt argumentative stances toward their students without veering into aggression. This investigation explored associations among student perceptions of instructor aggressive communication, perceived understanding, instructor credibility, and instructor evaluations. Participants were 228 undergraduate students enrolled in basic communication classes. Perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness (VA) was inversely associated with student perceptions of understanding, instructor credibility, and evaluations. Perceived instructor argumentativeness, in contrast, was positively associated with instructor credibility and evaluations. Perceived instructor VA was a stronger predictor of instructor credibility and evaluations than was perceived instructor argumentativeness. When combined, student perceptions of instructor aggressive communication and perceived understand ing accounted for 71% of the shared variance in a criterion composite of instructor credibility and evaluations. These findings affirm the importance of instructor communication behaviors that facilitate understanding and allow students to communicate successfully with their instructors.

Perceived instructor credibility and verbal aggressiveness in the college classroom

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among perceived instructor credibility (i.e., competence, character, caring), perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness, and perceived instructor use of 10 primary types of verbally aggressive messages (i.e., character attacks, competence attacks, background attacks, physical appearance attacks, malediction, teasing, ridicule, threats, swearing, nonverbal emblems). Participants were 273 students enrolled in a variety of courses at a small midwestern university. Results indicated that (a) perceived instructor competence, character, and caring are all negatively correlated with perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness and (b) significant negative relationships exist between perceived instructor competence, character, and caring and perceived instructor use of the 10 types of verbally aggressive messages, with the exception of a nonsignificant relationship between perceived instructor competence and perceived instructor use of the teasing verbally aggressive message.

Perceived instructor argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness in the college classroom: Effects on student perceptions of climate, apprehension, and state motivation

Because argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness are associated with positive and negative relational outcomes, respectively (Infante & Rancer, 1996), we were interested in whether perceived instructor argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness are related to college student perceptions of classroom climate, classroom apprehension, and state motivation. Participants were 236 undergraduate students enrolled in a variety of communication courses at a mid‐Atlantic university. Results indicate that (a) perceived instructor argumentativeness was not related to perceived classroom climate whereas perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness was negatively related to perceived classroom climate, (b) neither perceived instructor argumentativeness nor verbal aggressiveness was related to perceived student classroom apprehension, and (c) perceived instructor argumentativeness was positively related to perceived student state motivation whereas perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness was negatively related to perceived student state motivation.

Perceived instructor argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness and student outcomes

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between instructor argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness, and student affective learning and satisfaction. Participants were 169 undergraduate students enrolled in a variety of communication courses at a small Midwestern university. Results indicate that perceived instructor argumentativeness is positively correlated with student affect toward the course, student affect toward the instructor, and student satisfaction whereas perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness is negatively correlated with student affect toward the course, student affect toward the instructor, and student satisfaction. Future researchers may examine the reasons behind instructor argumentative and verbally aggressive behaviors as well as the composition of the various messages used to exemplify these behaviors.