The Power of Provisional/Immediate Language Revisited: Adding Student Personality Traits to the Mix

Abstract

Previous research found that relatively minor changes in the wording of written assessments can influence students’ motivation and affect toward the teacher. Not considered previously, however, is the role that student personality traits might play. Are the observed effects consistent across various personality types, or are different personality types affected differently by the same teacher behaviors? This study takes a first step toward answering that question, replicating the previous written feedback style research while adding the dimension of student personality traits to the investigation. The results suggest that the treatment may not be effective for those with high extroversion, low conscientiousness, and low neuroticism. When those cases were excluded from the analysis, the variance accounted for increased substantially, supporting the notion that efficacy of the teacher behaviors is, in part, dependent on student personality traits.

Keywords:

• Big Five
• Communication Traits
• Feedback to Students
• Instructional Communication
• Motivation

Notes

Note. Hi Extro, high extroversion; Lo Cons, low conscientiousness; Lo Neur, low neuroticism.

Operationalized as trait conditions where p substantially exceeded .05 for both dependent variables.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James A. Katt

James A. Katt (PhD, University of Central Florida, 2003) is an Associate Professor in the Nicholson School of Communication at the University of Central Florida.

Steven J. Collins

Steven J. Collins (PhD, Syracuse University, 1999) is an Associate Professor in the Nicholson School of Communication at the University of Central Florida.