Instructor Privacy Management in the Classroom: Exploring Instructors' Ineffective Communication and Student Communication Satisfaction

摘要

The aim of this investigation was twofold: (a) drawing from communication privacy management theory, we wanted to examine the associations between instructors' ineffective communication (i.e., inappropriate conversations, amount of disclosures) and student communication satisfaction; and (b) we wanted to determine if students' positive perceptions of instructor nonverbal immediacy mediated the negative influences of instructors' inappropriate conversations and amount of disclosures on student communication satisfaction. Overall, students reported lower levels of communication satisfaction when instructors engage in inappropriate conversations and frequent disclosures. Based on results, we also concluded that instructor nonverbal immediacy maintains students' communication satisfaction even when instructors engage in inappropriate conversations or disclose too frequently.