Date of Graduation
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
Committee Chair
Scott A. Myers
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine student conflict-handling styles in regard to six perceived instructor communication traits: humor, relevance, clarity, affinity seeking, caring, and verbal aggressiveness. Participants were 286 undergraduate students enrolled in sociology courses at a large Mid-Atlantic university. Results indicated that (a) students who perceive their instructor as humorous, relevant, clear, engaging in affinity seeking and caring, but not verbally aggressive are likely to use cooperative (i.e., collaborating, compromising) conflict-handling styles; (b) students who perceive their instructor as clear are likely to not use an uncooperative (i.e., avoiding) conflict-handling style; (c) students who perceive their instructor as verbally aggressive are likely to use an uncooperative (i.e., competing) conflict-handling style; and (d) students reported that they are most likely to use the collaborating conflict-handling style, followed (in descending order) by the compromising, competing, accommodating, and avoiding conflict-handling styles. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed
Recommended Citation
Zigarovich, Karissa L., "Student-instructor conflict: The relationship between instructor communicative characteristics and student conflict-handling styles." (2007). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD). 11017.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/11017