Initial Impressions and the Student Evaluation of Teaching

Abstract

Do first impressions influence the final evaluations given in a class? The author looked at the initial student perceptions and conditions of a class and compared these with conditions and evaluations 16 weeks later at the end of the term. It was found that the first perceptions of the instructor and the instructor's personality were significantly related to the evaluations made at the end of the semester. Implications for the validity of and utilization of the student evaluation of instruction are discussed.

Keywords:

• confirmatory bias
• faculty evaluation
• initial perceptions
• personality
• student evaluation of teaching