Expectancy Violations of Instructor Communication as Predictors of Motivation and Learning: A Comparison of Traditional and Nontraditional Students

Abstract

Utilizing Burgoon's expectancy violations theory, this study compared traditional and nontraditional students' prescriptive expectations and experiences with instructor immediacy, clarity, and affinity-seeking to determine the effects on cognitive learning and state motivation. Results revealed that significantly higher levels of state motivation and cognitive learning existed for nontraditional students. Negative violations of instructor clarity expectations for traditional and nontraditional students had negative predictive value of cognitive learning and state motivation; positive violations of instructor affinity-seeking had negative predictive value of learning and motivation for nontraditional students.

Keywords:

• Affinity-Seeking
• Clarity
• Cognitive Learning
• Expectancy Violation Theory
• Grade Orientation
• Immediacy
• Learner Orientation
• Nontraditional Students
• Predictive Expectations
• Prescriptive Expectations
• State Motivation
• Traditional Students

Notes

This manuscript is based on a dissertation completed under the guidance of Dr. Michelle Violanti, The University of Tennessee. It received the Top Four Paper Award for the Instructional Development Division at the 2004 NCA Convention in Chicago, Illinois.