Nonverbal behaviors and initial impressions of trustworthiness in teacher‐supervisor relationships

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between nonverbal behaviors of immediacy and dominance on teachers’ initial impressions of trust toward a supervisor. Pre‐service teachers (N = 266) watched videotaped segments of teacher‐supervisor conferences and rated the supervisor on the Individualized Trust Scale (ITS). As hypothesized, supervisor immediacy resulted in higher perceptions of trust than supervisor dominance. Immediacy also rated higher on measures of appropriateness and effectiveness than dominance. In addition, teachers’ perceptions of trust were highly correlated with measures of appropriateness and effectiveness, reinforcing trust as a key element in the teacher‐supervisor relationship.