Using Leader-Member Exchange Theory to Explain Students' Motives to Communicate

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to apply Leader-Member Exchange theory to the student-instructor relationship and explore if students' perceptions of their relational quality with their instructors are reflected in their motives to communicate with their instructors. Participants were 139 undergraduate students who completed the Leader-Member Exchange 7 scale and the Student Communication Motives scale. It was found that students who perceive in-group relationships with their instructors report using the relational, functional, participatory, and sycophantic motives at a higher rate than students who perceive out-group relationships with their instructors. Future researchers should explore the ramifications of student-instructor in-group relationships on classroom climate.

Keywords:

• Leader-Member Exchange
• Student Communication Motives
• Student-Instructor Relationships

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the reviewers and Dr. Ethan Heinen for their invaluable suggestions.

Notes

Note. *47 participants, ^†41 participants, ‡p < .01.

A version of this paper was presented at the 2005 meeting of the National Communication Association, Boston, Mass.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott A. Myers

Scott A. Myers (PhD, Kent State University, 1995) is an associate professor, Department of Communication Studies, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6293, USA.