Emotional Involvement and Styles of Teaching

Nancy B. Detwiler, John T. Cheffers, 1988

IRG III, Self-IRG and CAFIAS were used to determine the relationship between emotional intensity of student involvement and the interaction patterns of teacher/student behaviors. The investigators specifically examined (1), the observed relationship between teacher behavior patterns and the student emotional involvement and (2) the relationship between teacher student behavior patterns and the emotional involvement perceived by the teachers and students. The population was four experienced teachers of undergraduate physical activity classes. Problem solving activities were used and four randomly selected students from each group were involved.

Teachers' emotional involvement was greatest (3.9) when giving verbal criticism and verbal and nonverbal praise. Emotional involvement was lowest (3.65) when giving nonverbal directions as demonstrations. Students showed greatest involvement (3.8) when they initiated the task. Furthermore, students were least involved when they waited in silence (3.5), followed by predictable verbal behavior (3.6). Emotional involvement was highest where students were permitted task initiating activity (3.81).

Conclusions of this study made strong statements about involvement levels of teachers and students. Firstly, teachers who laughed or smiled during direction giving were less authoritarian and induced student initiative responses, characteristic of high emotional involvement. Students were more emotionally involved when actively participating and teachers were more emotionally involved when talking. The use of Self IRG was successful but a masking effect was also reported.