Some Correlates of Teachers’ Expectancy Bias

Abstract

Israeli elementary school teachers graded a handwritten worksheet allegedly written by an “excellent “or a “weak “student. A significant expectancy bias effect was caused by this ability label, similar to documented expectancy bias effects caused by a stereotypic ethnic label. The bias effect was unrelated to the teachers’ ethnic origin and to their preferred method of teaching, and somewhat related (p< .10) to their length of tenure, teachers of longer tenure showing a smaller bias effect. Beliefs about the success of school integration in Israel were related to the expectancy bias: Teachers believing integration to be moderately successful showed no bias effect, while highly optimistic and extreme (“highly successful” and “not at all successful”) respondents showed a significant bias effect. This finding supports previous reports on the relationship between susceptibility to biasing information and extremity of the belief and attitude system.