Location and Interaction in Row-and-Column Seating Arrangements

The verbal behavior, physical locations, and seat preferences of members of large groups assembled in row-and-column seating arrangements were investigated. In several trials of the experiment subjects had been categorized a priori as "high," "moderate," or "low" in respect to verbalization rates and then were randomly assigned to seats without regard for these rates. Subsequent research procedures revealed that location significantly affected the verbalization rates of the "highs" and the "moderates." Centrally located seats were associated with significantly higher verbalization rates on the part of their occupants than were noncentrally located seats. These findings confirmed the observations of previous investigators that there is an "ecology of participation" in classrooms which may make it possible to predict from which locations most verbalizations would emanate. Through the administration of a projective procedure it was also revealed that "high" verbalizers chose central seats to a greater degree and extent than did "low" verbalizers. The seat preferences of "high" and "moderate" verbalizers also differed significantly; "high" verbalizers preferred central seats to a greater extent than did "moderate" verbalizers. Some aspects of coping theory were offered as a possible explanation of this behavior.