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Instructional Feedback I: The Interaction of Facework and Immediacy on Students' Perceptions of Instructor Credibility

Authors :
Witt, Paul L.
Kerssen-Griep, Jeff
Source :
Communication Education. Jan 2011 60(1):75-94.
Publication Year :
2011

Abstract

Instructors routinely provide feedback for students concerning the work the students produce as part of a classroom course. Although such information is required of instructors and expected by students, the communication of feedback creates a potentially face-threatening interaction in which the student's self-esteem may be diminished and/or the instructor-student relationship may be strained. This study investigated a video instructor's attempts to mitigate such face threats by using sensitive verbal strategies combined with nonverbal immediacy cues. A 2 x 2 experimental design allowed manipulation of these two variables in higher and lower combinations and subsequent detection of a significant interaction effect between them. In the presence of higher face-threat mitigation cues and higher nonverbal immediacy cues, students attributed greater credibility to the video instructor and evaluated the instructor more highly. These findings are interpreted in light of approach-avoidance theory, which posits that people draw near to others whom they like and avoid those they dislike. Implications for classroom instructors are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0363-4523
Volume :
60
Issue :
1
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Communication Education
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ908234
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2010.507820