Am I Disclosing Too Much? Student Perceptions of Teacher Credibility via Facebook
Keywords:
self-disclosure, Facebook, teacher credibilityAbstract
This study examined the effects of teacher self-disclosure via Facebook on perceived teacher credibility. Undergraduate students (N=92) were randomly assigned to view one of the eight versions of the Facebook webpage of a teacher (either male or female) that involved two types of self-disclosure: images of alcohol drinking, and a narrative with emotionally-loaded language. The credibility ratings of the teacher indicated that revealing information about alcohol consumption and emotional problems concerning a personal relationship negatively influence student perception of teacher credibility. However, several gender differences emerged, indicating that an inherent bias exists in perceptions of credibility and appropriate self-disclosure. Specifically, male teachers were perceived more credible than female teachers in general. Moreover, the emotionally-loaded self-disclosure did not influence the female teacher's credibility, but did reduce the male teacher’s credibility. Credibility was also influenced by the physical attractiveness of the teacher and the belief whether it is acceptable for a teacher to have Facebook profile.
References
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Cayanus, J. L., & Martin, M. M. (2004). An instructor self-disclosure scale. Communication Research Reports, 21, 252-263.
Cayanus, J. L., & Martin, M. M. (2008). Teacher self-disclosure: Amount, relevance, and negativity. Communication Quarterly, 56, 325-341.
Dobransky, N. D., & Frymier, A. B. (2004). Developing teacher-student relationships through out of class communication. Communication Quarterly, 52, 211-223.
Downs, V. C., Javidi, M. M., & Nussbaum, J. F. (1988). An analysis of teachers’ verbal communication within the college classroom: Use of humor, self-disclosure, and narratives. Communication Education, 37, 127-140.
Ei, S., & Bowen, A. (2002). College students' perception of student instructor relationships. Ethics and Behavior, 12, 177-191.
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Foulger, T. S., Ewbank, A. D., Kay, A., Popp, S. O., & Carter, H. L. (2009). Moral spaces in MySpace: Preservice teachers’ perspectives about ethical issues in social networking. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1-28.
Frymier, A. B., & Weser, B. (2001). The role of student predispositions on student expectations for instructor communication behavior. Communication Education, 50, 314-326.
Fusani, D. S. (1994). "Extra-class" communication: Frequency, immediacy, self-disclosure, and satisfaction in the student-faculty interaction outside the classroom. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 22, 232-255.
Glascock, J., & Ruggiero, T. E. (2006). The relationship of ethnicity and sex to professor credibility at a culturally diverse university. Communication Education, 55, 197 – 207.
Holmila, M. & Raitasilo, K. (2004). Gender differences in drinking: Why do they still exist? Society for the Study of Addiction, 100, 1763-1769. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01249.
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Kearney, P., Plax, T. G., Hays, E. R., & Ivey, M. J. (1991). College teacher misbehaviors: What students don't like about what teachers say and do. Communication Quarterly, 39, 309-324.
Keith-Spiegel, P., Tabachnick, B. G., & Allen, M. (1993). Ethics in academia: Students' views of professors' actions. Ethics and Behavior, 3, 149-162.
Kring, A. M. & Gordon, A.H. (1998). Sex differences in emotion: Expression, experience, and physiology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 (3), 686-703.
Kuther, T. L. (2003). A profile of the ethical professor: Students views. College Teaching, 51, 153-160.
Lannutti, P. J., & Strauman, E. C. (2006). Classroom communication: The influence of instructor self-disclosure on student evaluations. Communication Quarterly, 54, 89-99.
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Mazer, J. P., Murphy, R. E., & Simonds, C. J. (2009). The effects of teacher self-disclosure via Facebook on teacher credibility. Learning, Media, and Technology, 34, 175-183.
McBride, M. C., & Wahl, S. T. (2005). "To say or not to say:" Teachers' management of privacy boundaries in the classroom. Texas Speech Communication Journal, 30, 8-22.
McCroskey, J. C. (1966). Experimental studies of the effects of ethos and evidence in persuasive communication. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Pennsylvania State University: University Park.
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McCroskey, J. C. & McCain, T.A. (1974). The measurement of interpersonal attraction. Speech Monographs, 41, 261-266.
McCroskey, J. C. & Richmond, V. P. (1989) Bipolar scales. In P. Emmert & L. L. Barker (Eds.), Measurement of Communication Behavior (pp. 154-167). New York, NY: Longman.
Myers, S. A., & Brann, M. B. (2009). College students’ perception of how instructors establish and enhance credibility through self-disclosure. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 10, 9-16.
Nunziata, A. M. (2007, November). College student perception of instructor communication privacy management. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Patzer, G. L. (1983). Source credibility as a function of communicator physical attractiveness. Journal of Business Research, 11, 229–241.
Patton, T. O. (1999). Ethnicity and gender: An examination of its impact on instructor credibility in the university classroom. The Howard Journal of Communications, 10, 123-144.
Pearson, J. C., West, R. L., & Turner, L. H. (1995). Gender and communication (3rd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Brown Communications.
Sorenson, G. (1989). The relationships among teachers' self-disclosive statements, students' perception, and affective learning. Communication Education, 38, 259-276.
Sturgeon, C. M., & Walker, C. (2009, March). Faculty on Facebook: Confirm or deny? Paper presented at the 14th Annual Instructional Technology Conference, Murfreesboro, TN.
Weiler, R. A. (2006). The effects of teacher self-disclosure of political views and opinions (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
Widgery, R. N. (1974). Sex of receiver and physical attractiveness of source as determinants of initial credibility perception. Western Speech, 38 (1), 13-17.
Zhang, S., Shi, Q., Tonelson, S., & Robinson, J. (2009). Preservice and inservice teachers' perception of appropriateness of teacher self-disclosure. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 1117-1124.
Cayanus, J. L., & Martin, M. M. (2004). An instructor self-disclosure scale. Communication Research Reports, 21, 252-263.
Cayanus, J. L., & Martin, M. M. (2008). Teacher self-disclosure: Amount, relevance, and negativity. Communication Quarterly, 56, 325-341.
Dobransky, N. D., & Frymier, A. B. (2004). Developing teacher-student relationships through out of class communication. Communication Quarterly, 52, 211-223.
Downs, V. C., Javidi, M. M., & Nussbaum, J. F. (1988). An analysis of teachers’ verbal communication within the college classroom: Use of humor, self-disclosure, and narratives. Communication Education, 37, 127-140.
Ei, S., & Bowen, A. (2002). College students' perception of student instructor relationships. Ethics and Behavior, 12, 177-191.
Estrada, A. W. (2010). Saving face from Facebook: Arriving at a compromise between schools' concerns with teacher social networking and teachers' first amendment rights. Thomas Jefferson Law Review, 32, 283-312.
Foulger, T. S., Ewbank, A. D., Kay, A., Popp, S. O., & Carter, H. L. (2009). Moral spaces in MySpace: Preservice teachers’ perspectives about ethical issues in social networking. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1-28.
Frymier, A. B., & Weser, B. (2001). The role of student predispositions on student expectations for instructor communication behavior. Communication Education, 50, 314-326.
Fusani, D. S. (1994). "Extra-class" communication: Frequency, immediacy, self-disclosure, and satisfaction in the student-faculty interaction outside the classroom. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 22, 232-255.
Glascock, J., & Ruggiero, T. E. (2006). The relationship of ethnicity and sex to professor credibility at a culturally diverse university. Communication Education, 55, 197 – 207.
Holmila, M. & Raitasilo, K. (2004). Gender differences in drinking: Why do they still exist? Society for the Study of Addiction, 100, 1763-1769. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01249.
Hosek, A. M., & Thompson, J. (2009). Communication privacy management and college instruction: Exploring the rules and boundaries that frame instructor private disclosure. Communication Education, 58, 327-349.
Kearney, P., Plax, T. G., Hays, E. R., & Ivey, M. J. (1991). College teacher misbehaviors: What students don't like about what teachers say and do. Communication Quarterly, 39, 309-324.
Keith-Spiegel, P., Tabachnick, B. G., & Allen, M. (1993). Ethics in academia: Students' views of professors' actions. Ethics and Behavior, 3, 149-162.
Kring, A. M. & Gordon, A.H. (1998). Sex differences in emotion: Expression, experience, and physiology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 (3), 686-703.
Kuther, T. L. (2003). A profile of the ethical professor: Students views. College Teaching, 51, 153-160.
Lannutti, P. J., & Strauman, E. C. (2006). Classroom communication: The influence of instructor self-disclosure on student evaluations. Communication Quarterly, 54, 89-99.
Mazer, J. P., Murphy, R. E., & Simonds, C. J. (2007). I’ll see you on “Facebook”: The effects of computer-mediated teacher self-disclosure on student motivation, affective learning, and classroom climate. Communication Education, 56, 1-17.
Mazer, J. P., Murphy, R. E., & Simonds, C. J. (2009). The effects of teacher self-disclosure via Facebook on teacher credibility. Learning, Media, and Technology, 34, 175-183.
McBride, M. C., & Wahl, S. T. (2005). "To say or not to say:" Teachers' management of privacy boundaries in the classroom. Texas Speech Communication Journal, 30, 8-22.
McCroskey, J. C. (1966). Experimental studies of the effects of ethos and evidence in persuasive communication. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Pennsylvania State University: University Park.
McCroskey, J.C., Holdridge, W., & Toomb, J.K. (1974). An instrument for measuring the source credibility of basic speech communication instructors. Speech Teacher, 23, 26-33.
McCroskey, J. C. & McCain, T.A. (1974). The measurement of interpersonal attraction. Speech Monographs, 41, 261-266.
McCroskey, J. C. & Richmond, V. P. (1989) Bipolar scales. In P. Emmert & L. L. Barker (Eds.), Measurement of Communication Behavior (pp. 154-167). New York, NY: Longman.
Myers, S. A., & Brann, M. B. (2009). College students’ perception of how instructors establish and enhance credibility through self-disclosure. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 10, 9-16.
Nunziata, A. M. (2007, November). College student perception of instructor communication privacy management. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Patzer, G. L. (1983). Source credibility as a function of communicator physical attractiveness. Journal of Business Research, 11, 229–241.
Patton, T. O. (1999). Ethnicity and gender: An examination of its impact on instructor credibility in the university classroom. The Howard Journal of Communications, 10, 123-144.
Pearson, J. C., West, R. L., & Turner, L. H. (1995). Gender and communication (3rd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Brown Communications.
Sorenson, G. (1989). The relationships among teachers' self-disclosive statements, students' perception, and affective learning. Communication Education, 38, 259-276.
Sturgeon, C. M., & Walker, C. (2009, March). Faculty on Facebook: Confirm or deny? Paper presented at the 14th Annual Instructional Technology Conference, Murfreesboro, TN.
Weiler, R. A. (2006). The effects of teacher self-disclosure of political views and opinions (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
Widgery, R. N. (1974). Sex of receiver and physical attractiveness of source as determinants of initial credibility perception. Western Speech, 38 (1), 13-17.
Zhang, S., Shi, Q., Tonelson, S., & Robinson, J. (2009). Preservice and inservice teachers' perception of appropriateness of teacher self-disclosure. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 1117-1124.
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