The Effect of Teacher Nonverbal Immediacy and Credibility on Student Motivation and Affective Learning

Abstract

This study hypothesized that teacher nonverbal immediacy and credibility interact to impact student motivation and affective learning. Utilizing an experimental 2×2 (immediacy high/low, credibility high/low) factorial design, 586 students were exposed to one of four written scenarios and completed motivation and affective learning scales. Results indicate that students experience more affective learning and motivation with highly immediate, highly credible teachers and experience the least motivation and affective learning with low-immediate, low-credibility teachers. Further, students experienced more affective learning with low-immediate, high credibility teachers, compared with high immediate, low-credibility teachers. This study indicates that effective teaching is a function of both personal communication between teachers and students as well as teacher credibility.

Keywords:

• Teacher Nonverbal Immediacy
• Teacher Credibility
• Student Motivation
• Affective Learning

This manuscript was derived from a thesis and presented at the National Communication Association 91st Annual Convention in Boston, November 2005

This manuscript was derived from a thesis and presented at the National Communication Association 91st Annual Convention in Boston, November 2005

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Mark Stoner, Dr. Virginia Kidd, Dr. Pat Kearney, and two anonymous reviewers for thoughtful comments on earlier drafts of this article.

Notes

This manuscript was derived from a thesis and presented at the National Communication Association 91st Annual Convention in Boston, November 2005

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lanette L. Pogue

Lanette L. Pogue (M.A., California State University, Sacramento

Kimo Ahyun

Kimo AhYun (Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1996) is Associate Professor of Communication Studies at California State University, Sacramento