The influence of lecturers' verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour on perceived affective and cognitive learning

[摘要] The results indicated that the impact of the perceived immediacy operated differently forthe two groups, although they should be interpreted with some degree of caution. Therewere significant relationships for the whole test group between learners' perceptions oflecturers' immediacy behaviour and learning. The verbal total score, the non-verbaltotal score, the immediacy total score as well as the majority of individual items showedsignificant relationships with learners' cognitive as well as affective learning.Verbal items, especially item 17 (Praises learners' work, behaviour or comments),showed a high correlation with the different learning variables (cognitive and affective).Regarding non-verbal items, item 23 in particular (Speaks in a monotonous or boringvoice when he/she lectures) showed a high correlation with the different learningvariables (cognitive and affective).The relationships between the verbal total scores and cognitive learning (simple learningand learning loss) variables were statistically significant for both Germanic and Africanlearners. The correlations between the non-verbal total scores and the cognitivelearning (simple learning and learning loss) variables were statistically significant forGermanic learners, but were not statistically significant in the African learners' group.Furthermore, the relationships between the immediacy total scores and the cognitivelearning (simple learning and learning loss) variables were statistically significant forGermanic as well as African learners.Regarding the correlation between the verbal items and cognitive learning (learning andlearning loss), numerous items were statistically significant for Germanic learners, whileonly some items showed such a relationship for African learners.In terms of the relationships between non-verbal items and cognitive learning (learningand learning loss), various items also showed a statistically significant relationship forGermanic learners, while only one item (item 32 - in simple learning) showed asignificant relationship for African learners.The relationship between the non-verbal total scores and simple learning differedsignificantly between the two groups. The relationship between the non-verbal totalscore and learning loss also differed significantly between the two groups. TheGermanic learners repeatedly showed a significantly higher relationship than that of theAfrican learners.It was obvious that the relationship between the verbal item 4 (Uses humour in class)and simple learning differed significantly for the two groups and that the relationshipbetween the same item and learning loss also differed significantly for the two groups.The Germanic learners showed a significantly higher relationship in comparison withAfrican learners.The relationship between the non-verbal item 34 (Uses a variety of vocal expressionswhen he/she talks to the class) and simple learning differed significantly for the twogroups. The relationship between the same item and learning loss also differedsignificantly between the two groups. The Germanic learners once again showed asignificantly higher relationship in comparison with the African learners.The relationships between the verbal total scores and affective learning (attitude,behavioural intent and total affect) variables, as well as the relationships between thenon-verbal total scores and affective learning variables, were statistically significant forGermanic learners, while these relationships were not statistically significant in theAfrican learners' group.In contrast to cognitive learning, the relationship between the immediacy total scores inaffective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect) variables were onlysignificant for Germanic learners.Concerning the correlation between the verbal items and affective learning (attitude,behavioural intent and total affect), many of the items showed a statistically significantrelationship for Germanic learners, while only some items showed such a relationshipfor African learners. The same tendency occurred in terms of the correlation betweenthe non-verbal items and affective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect).The relationship between the verbal total scores and all three affective learning variables(attitude, behavioural intent and total affect) differed significantly for the two groups.The relationship between the immediacy total score and all three of the affectivelearning variables also differed significantly for the two groups. Again it was theGermanic learners who repeatedly showed a significantly higher relationship than thatof the African learners.The relationships between numerous verbal items and all three affective learningvariables differed significantly in the two groups. The verbal items in question were:item 4 (Uses humour in class)item 5 (Addresses learners by their names)item 6 (Addresses me by my name)item 11 (Gives feedback on my individual work by means of commenting onquestion papers, oral discussion, etc.)item 20 (Is addressed by his/her first name by the class)Germanic learners showed a significantly higher relationship in all these items whencompared with African learners. The relationship between the non-verbal item 34 (Usesa variety of vocal expressions when he/she talks to the class) and all three affectivelearning variables differed significantly for the two groups. The Germanic learnersonce again showed a significantly higher relationship in comparison with the Africanlearners.The most important differences between the two population groups exist mainlybetween the verbal items and the three affective learning variables.The significant relationships between lecturers' immediacy behaviour and learning(cognitive and affective) were present mainly for the Germanic learners, and only someof the immediacy items showed significant relationships with learning (cognitive andaffective) variables for African learners.Pertaining to the size of effects, it can be observed that all the statistically significantcoefficients showed a medium to large effect, which indicates that the findings have anaverage to large practical value.Differences occurred in means on two variables (item 6 and item 32) between Africanand Germanic learners. Noteworthy differences in terms of total scores on theimmediacy of learning variables did not occur. Regarding item 6 (Addresses me by myname), the Germanic learners showed a higher mean in comparison with Africanlearners. Both averages, however, showed that this form of lecturer behaviour occursseldom or occasionally. Relating to item 32 (Has a very relaxed body posture whenhe/she is lecturing), the African learners showed a higher mean compared withGermanic learners. Both averages showed that this form of lecturer behaviour occursfairly regularly.Even though the results indicated that the impact of perceived immediacy operateddifferently for the two groups (possibly due to the fact that cultures differ in terms ofwhat they expect regarding other individuals' behaviour), this study indicates asignificantly positive correlation between immediacy behaviour and cognitive, affectiveand behavioural learning.The research findings further prove that, in connection with the effect of immediacybehaviour on learning, both verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour are vitaldimensions of effective instructional strategies for the promotion of affective andcognitive learning.In conclusion, the verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour of lecturers whose homelanguage is Afrikaans or English contributes positively to the affective and cognitivelearning of learners whose home language is Afrikaans, English, or one of the Africanlanguages. Ultimately, the immediacy behaviour displayed by English or Afrikaanslecturers functions differently for learners whose home language is one of the Africanlanguages, than for those whose home language is Afrikaans or English.The results of this study, in conjunction with the results of previous work on immediacy,indicate that teacher/instructor/lecturer immediacy has a significant influence on thelearner-instructor/lecturer relationship. Moreover, the results of this study, combinedwith those of Fayer, Gorham and McCroskey (1988), Collier (1988) and Sanders andWiseman (1990), indicate that the specific role of lecturer immediacy on learneroutcomes was mediated, to some degree, by culture. As South African classrooms growmore culturally diverse, communication scientists should redouble their efforts in thispromising area of research.

[发布机构] University of the Free State