Date of Graduation

2012

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Using LMX theory as an overarching framework in the instructional communication context, this dissertation both investigates graduate students’ affinity-seeking behaviors (i.e., affinity-seeking competence, strategic performance, use of affinity-seeking strategies) and research outcomes (i.e., research productivity, research self-efficacy, affective commitment, career commitment) that are associated with perceived relationship quality with advisors. Three hypotheses were forwarded to address the relationships among graduate students’ affinity-seeking behaviors, research outcomes, and perceptions of relationship quality with advisors. The results of this dissertation provided some degree of support for each hypothesis. Most notably, significant positive relationships were found among graduate student affinity-seeking behaviors and perceptions of relationship quality with advisors; significant positive relationships were found among graduate student research outcomes and perceptions of relationship quality with advisors; and significant relationships were found among graduate student affinity-seeking behaviors and research outcomes when controlling for graduate students’ perceptions of relationship quality with advisors.

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