Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Committee Chair

Lisa M. Dilks

Committee Co-Chair

Melissa Latimer

Committee Member

Melissa Latimer

Committee Member

Rachel E. Stein

Committee Member

Sharon R. Bird

Abstract

In this dissertation, I complete three studies to evaluate potential reactions to target role congruity, especially gender role congruity, through an examination of Student Evaluations of Instructors (SEIs). Target role congruity refers to assessments an observer makes of whether or not the various roles a target person fills “fit” with one another. For example, a woman surgeon may be perceived as being in an incongruent role due to the masculine characteristics associated with the occupation and the continued dominance of men in the field. Researchers utilizing congruity theories has shown that both women and men in roles that are incongruent to their gender are viewed as less competent and less acceptable than those whose traits conform to their gender roles. People in gender role incongruity roles tend to receive sanctions and backlash commonly exhibited through negative evaluations due to their perceived role incongruity.

In these studies, I examine how target role congruity affects a particular type of subjective evaluation, student evaluations of instruction (SEIs). In the first two studies, I use exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analyses, multiple-indicators and multiple-causes (MIMIC) models, and grouped structural equation models (SEM) to evaluate how instructor role congruity may affect quantitative SEI measures. In Study 1 (Chapter 2), I determine whether the questions that comprise the SEI forms are biased in measurement depending upon the role congruity of the instructor as determined by their gender and the discipline in which they teach. In Study 2 (Chapter 3), I extend these results by examining whether the race/ethnicity of the instructor moderates the effect of gender role congruity on quantitative SEI measures. Finally, in Study 3 (Chapter 4), I complete a qualitative analysis of open-response SEI questions in order to determine the potential causal mechanisms behind any differences in SEI scores by instructor gender, level of gender role congruity, and race/ethnicity.

The results of Study 1 (Chapter 2) indicate that when measurement invariance is accounted for, differences in SEI scores based on instructor gender and level of gender role congruity are eliminated. The results of Study 2 (Chapter 3) indicate that when measurement invariance is accounted for, some differences in SEI scores based on instructor gender, level of gender role congruity, and race/ethnicity are eliminated while some persist. These results indicate the importance of measurement invariance testing as well as the importance of considering instructor role congruity when examining SEI scores. Study 3 (Chapter 4) results further indicate that the various statuses of instructors may influence how students perceive and evaluate their courses.

Future research using congruity theories should consider how other salient social roles may moderate the effects of perceptions of target role congruity on subjective evaluations. Additionally, future research on student evaluations should consider the inclusion of more instructor statuses as well as other potential mitigating factors such as student statuses and course characteristics in their evaluations.

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