Date of Graduation

2001

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

Committee Chair

Katherine S. Thweatt

Abstract

This study examined student expectations of teacher behavior and how violations of those expectations are evaluated by students. The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not students hold certain expectations about their teachers and if so, which types of behaviors were expected or not expected of classroom teachers. Students were asked to complete the Immediacy Expectation Scale (IES) to determine if teachers were expected to use immediate behaviors and also to determine if teachers were expected to not misbehave. Students were further asked to read four scenarios that manipulated teachers as high or low in immediacy and high and low in misbehaviors. Based on the teacher in the scenario, students were asked to rate teacher credibility. Overall, results indicated that students do expect teachers to be immediate and to not misbehave. If those expectations are violated, immediate teachers are evaluated as less negative than nonimmediate teachers.

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