Testing the classroom citizenship behaviors scale: exploring the association of classroom citizenship behaviors and student traits

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the reliability and validity of Myers and colleagues’ Classroom Citizenship Behavior scale, as well as the relationship between student personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and communication apprehension) and CCBs. Two hundred and thirteen students completed questionnaires regarding the instructor of the class they attended prior to the one in which the study was administered. Reliabilities for the involvement and affiliation dimensions of the scale were acceptable; reliability for the courtesy dimension was less than researchers generally look for, consistent with Myers’ findings. Model fit for the scale as indicated by confirmatory factor analysis was acceptable. Relationships emerged between students’ self-reported CCBs and several personality traits. The largest correlation was a negative relationship between communication apprehension and the involvement dimension of classroom citizenship.

KEYWORDS:

• Classroom incivility
• classroom citizenship behavior
• communication apprehension
• personality traits