Teacher Influence in the Classroom: A Preliminary Investigation of Perceived Instructor Power, Credibility, and Student Satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between perceived teacher power, teacher credibility, and student satisfaction. Respondents were 67 undergraduate students (30 males and 37 females) enrolled in Communication classes at a southwestern university. Students’ perceptions of their teachers’ expert, referent and reward power use were found to be positively related to their perceptions of their teachers’ competence, caring, and trustworthiness. Teacher power use contributed to the prediction of a significant amount of variance in teacher credibility. Additionally, student satisfaction was positively and significantly related to both teacher referent power and expert power. Surprisingly, students’ perceptions of coercive power were not significantly and negatively related to student satisfaction. Implications, limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Teacher–student interpersonal relationships
• Teacher credibility
• Teacher power
• Teaching effectiveness

Notes

An earlier version of this paper was presented on a program of the Communication Education interest group at the annual convention of the Central States Communication Association, Milwaukee, WI, April 2002.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jason J. Teven

Jason J. Teven (EdD, West Virginia University, 1998) is an Associate Professor of Speech Communication and Director of Graduate Studies in the Art, Communication, and Theatre Department at West Texas A&M University, Box 60747, Canyon, TX 79016-0001, USA (Tel: [phone]; Email: [email protected])

Jane E. Herring

Jane Ellen Herring (MA, West Texas A&M University, 1999) is an adjunct instructor in the same department