Effects of expectancy bias and degree of dogmatism on senior education students' ratings of teacher competence

McBreairty, Sheldon (1981) Effects of expectancy bias and degree of dogmatism on senior education students' ratings of teacher competence. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The present study investigated the combined effects of expectancy bias and level of dogmatism on judgements of teacher competence, specifically, the effects of exposing, senior education students to systematically biased evalu-ative information on their judgements of teacher competence. Of equal importance was an examination of interactive relationships between the expectancy bias and the level of student dogmatism. -- Ninety-two subjects (student teachers) were subjected to either a negatively biased or a positively biased written, evaluative communication concerning a Grade 7 teacher. Subjects were also assessed as to degree of dogmatism. A video-tape of the teacher instructing his class was subsequently viewed by the subjects. The teacher's performance was then rated by all subjects, including 28 unbiased subjects acting as a control group, using a teacher evaluation questionnaire designed for the present study. -- Results showed a significant expectancy bias effect, though no significant dogmatism effect was evident. No interaction was observed between expectancy bias effects and dogmatism effects. Although sex of subjects was not controlled for, an analysis revealed a significant interaction between expectancy bias and sex, such that, males with positive expectations tended to provide a more positive evaluation of the teacher competence. Also, a significant three-way interaction was observed between effects of expectancy bias, dogmatism, and sex of subject. It was recommended on the basis of results, that future studies control for sex as well as investigate the suggestion that people's expectations affect their thoughts and behaviors. Also, it was recommended that investigations be made into the role of expectations in a variety of educational evaluations.

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