The influence of the nonverbal behaviour of examiners on children’s psychometric performances

摘要

This study analysed the effects of the nonverbal behaviour of an examiner on low and high achievers’ psychometric performances. The examiner, who was blind to children’s’ achievement level, varied the nonverbal style she adopted when giving instructions. As expected, a warm style led children to score higher than a neutral one. Moreover, warmth effect did not depend on achievement level. It implies that the nonverbal behaviour of an examiner may modify psychological assessments and play a subtle role both in educational decisions and educational guidance.