Multivariate Relationships of Specific Impression Cues with Teacher Expectations and Dyadic Interactions in Elementary Physical Education Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the multivariate relationships of the impression cues of attractiveness and effort with teacher expectations and dyadic interactions in two elementary age groups of children. Three elementary physical education teachers and 128 children (K-3) served as subjects. The children were classified into two groups, one consisting of kindergarten and first grade children and the other second and third grade children. Physical attractiveness was determined from ratings of black and white photographs of each student. Student effort was determined by the ratings of the teachers according to the amount of expressed effort demonstrated by each student during physical activity instruction. Teachers were also asked to rate their students according to four expectancy variables. A dyadic version of Cheffers' Adaptation to Flanders' Interaction Analysis System was the observational tool used to describe teacher-student behaviors. For the older group only, teachers' expectations for the students' social relations, cooperative behavior and ability to reason significantly related to both impression cues. For the younger group, teachers' expectations for social relations and cooperative behavior were significantly related to teacher praise, direction-giving, criticism, and predictable student responses. For the older group, however, the teachers' expectation for cooperative behavior was significantly related to eight behavioral variables, especially to information giving and student-initiated responses.