The Relation between Teacher Self-Disclosure and Student Classroom Participation

We hypothesized that teacher self-disclosure would be positively associated with student classroom participation. This hypothesis is consistent with the reciprocity effect that suggests that self-disclosure by one person will elicit self-disclosure from another. Teachers and students in 64 undergraduate classes completed questionnaires that assessed teacher self-disclosure, class participation, and students' willingness to participate in class. Correlational analyses support the central hypothesis. We suggest that the positive relation between teacher self-disclosure and class participation may not be solely a function of the examples of class concepts that such disclosures provide but may be a function of the interpersonal atmosphere created by such disclosures. The applied implications of this research are discussed.

[1]  P. Cozby.  Self-disclosure: a literature review. , 1973, Psychological bulletin.

[2]  K. O'flaherty,et al.  Student perceptions of presenter self-disclosure in the college classroom based on perceived status differentials , 1989 .

[3]  Myong Jin Woon-Doornink.  Self-disclosure and reciprocity in conversation: a cross-national study , 1985 .

[4]  Evelyn Torton Beck,et al.  Self-disclosure and the commitment to social change , 1983 .

[5]  J. Nussbaum,et al.  A comparative analysis of teachers' use of dramatic style behaviors at higher and secondary educational levels , 1988 .

[6]  C. Wetzel,et al.  Reciprocity of Self-Disclosure: Breakdowns of Trust in Cross-Racial Dyads , 1988 .

[7]  Self-Disclosure in the Classroom: An Experimental Study. , 1979 .

[8]  R. L. Archer,et al.  The effects of timing of self-disclosure on attraction and reciprocity. , 1980 .

[9]  Imitation and Prior Classroom Contact as Determinants of Reciprocal Self-Disclosure , 1977, Psychological reports.

[10]  E E Jones,et al.  Timing of self-disclosure and its effects on personal attraction. , 1972, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[11]  J. Nussbaum,et al.  Dramatic Behaviors of the Effective Teacher , 1980 .

[12]  Dalmas A. Taylor,et al.  The Effects of Perceived Intimacy and Valence on Self-Disclosure Reciprocity , 1986 .

[13]  David R. Shaffer,et al.  On sex differences in self-disclosure during the acquaintance process: The role of anticipated future interaction. , 1986 .

[14]  M. Thase,et al.  Modeling of Self-Disclosure in Laboratory and Nonlaboratory Interview Settings. , 1977 .

[15]  Lawrence R. Wheeless,et al.  Conceptualization and Measurement of Reported Self-Disclosure. , 1976 .

[16]  J. Nussbaum,et al.  Student Perceptions of Instructor Communication Behaviors and Their Relationship to Student Evaluation. , 1981 .

[17]  Robert Rosenthal,et al.  How are we doing in soft psychology , 1990 .

[18]  S. Jourard,et al.  Self-disclosure and other-cathexis. , 1959, Journal of abnormal and social psychology.

[19]  P. R. Mccarthy,et al.  Effects of Teacher Self-Disclosure on Student Learning and Perceptions of Teacher. , 1981 .

[20]  S M JOURARD.  Self-disclosure and other-cathexis. , 1959, Journal of abnormal and social psychology.