Message Framing in the Classroom: The Relationship Between Message Frames and Student Perceptions of Instructor Power

Abstract

This study examined the role of message framing in the classroom and the relationship between different frames and students' perceptions of instructor power use. Requests or expectations offered by instructors may have various meanings for students, depending on the way in which these messages are framed. In turn, these frames may influence various student perceptions and behaviors. Students were presented with the same set of instructor expectations in the form of a hypothetical syllabus, but in one condition, the students' right to choose to comply with the expectations was made more explicit than in the other condition. Students' behavioral intent and their perception of the instructor's use of power bases were measured. The low-choice condition resulted in greater student perceptions of instructor coercive and legitimate power and greater reported intent to comply with one of the three instructor requests that were presented.

Keywords:

• Instructor Power Bases
• Message Framing
• Student Perceptions

Notes

This instrument has been used in a number of studies on power bases in the classroom and, because the data were collected before Schrodt, Witt, and Turman (2007) advanced their own measure, it was the best available measure for our study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joseph L. Chesebro

Joseph L. Chesebro (EdD, West Virginia University, 1999) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the State University of New York Brockport.

Matthew M. Martin

Matthew M. Martin (PhD, Kent State University, 1992) is an associate professor and chair in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.