Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2013
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Reed College of Media
Department
Reed College of Media
Committee Chair
Scott A Myers
Committee Co-Chair
Melanie Booth-Butterfield
Committee Member
Megan R Dillow
Committee Member
Danette Ifert-Johnson
Committee Member
Matthew M. Martin.
Abstract
This dissertation addressed the effects of students' perceived effectiveness of and likelihood to use student behavior alteration techniques (BATs) on students' motives to communicate with their instructors, student talk (i.e., willingness to talk, out-of-class communication), and student learning (i.e., cognitive learning, affective learning, state motivation, and student communication satisfaction). Results revealed that student perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, student BATs did not influence, student talk or student learning, but indicated some significant relationships with the students' motives to communicate with their instructors. Specifically, the relational, functional, participatory, and sycophancy motives were generally related to the perceived likelihood to use some prosocial BATs. The relational, functional, and participatory motives were not significantly related to the perceived effectiveness of, or likelihood to use, any of the antisocial BATs; however, the sycophancy motive was related positively to the perceived likelihood to use one antisocial BAT. The excuse-making motive was generally related to the perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, antisocial BATs, but was not related negatively, as hypothesized, to the perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, prosocial BATs. Collectively, the results of this dissertation revealed three prominent issues in regard to the examination of student prosocial and antisocial BATs. First, the situational demands of the classroom (e.g., instructor communicative behaviors, outcomes of the classroom assignment), more than students' motives to communicate or willingness to engage in student talk, may affect their students' perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, student BATs. Second, students' perceived effectiveness of, and the likelihood to use prosocial and antisocial student BATs are not related to gains in their learning. Third, it appears that students use BATs infrequently. Overall, the lack of significant relationships may be due to the fact that students' perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use the BATs, are not closely associated with other student communicative behaviors, but perhaps related directly to the students' own personality traits or the immediate situational factors of the classroom and instructor.
Recommended Citation
Claus, Christopher J., "The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning" (2013). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 4956.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/4956