The Roles of Sex, Empathy, and Credibility in Out-of-Class Communication Between Faculty and Students

Abstract

As the process of education extends beyond the formal classroom, this article focuses on out-of-class (OOC) communication between faculty and students. A study exploring the roles of student sex and instructor sex, as well as student perceptions of instructor empathy and credibility in OOC was conducted. The results of the study indicate that empathy, credibility and sex of student and instructor all influence the amount and kinds of OOC communication that occur. As ratings of instructor empathy and credibility rise, students are more likely to engage in OOC communication, and this pattern is particularly pronounced for female students. Also, a same-sex preference for OOC communication was found. Implications and directions for further research are included.