Student Nagging Behavior in the College Classroom

Abstract

Nagging is a persuasive tactic yet to be fully explored in instructional communication. Nagging involves an exchange in which a student makes persistent requests of an instructor who fails to comply. The purpose of the study was to examine student nagging behavior and, specifically, to examine nagging as a potentially face threatening act as part of Politeness Theory. Students (n=189) described a nagging exchange with an instructor by reporting on one of eight nagging strategies. Nagging is threatening to the positive and negative face of both students and instructors, with the Elicit Sympathy nag the most threatening to the students’ positive face, and the Demonstrate Frustration with the Instructor nag the most threatening to the instructors’ positive face. The Strike a Deal nag was found to be the most threatening to the students’ negative face, and the Flatter Instructor nag the most threatening to the instructors’ negative face. The majority of these face threatening acts are committed off record, or indirectly, and with a degree of ambiguity.

Keywords:

• Nagging
• Persuasion
• Politeness Theory
• Face Threatening Acts
• Student Misbehaviors

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katie Neary Dunleavy

Katie Neary Dunleavy (Ph.D., West Virginia University, 2007) is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Department at LaSalle University

Matthew M. Martin

Matthew M. Martin (Ph.D., Kent State University, 1992)

Maria Brann

Maria Brann (Ph.D., University of Kentucky, 2003)

Melanie Booth-Butterfield

Melanie Booth-Butterfield (Ph.D., Missouri-Columbia, 1985)

Scott A. Myers

Scott A. Myers (Ph.D., Kent State University, 1995)

Keith Weber

Keith Weber (Ed.D., West Virginia University, 1998) are all Professors in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University. This manuscript is based on the first author's dissertation