Perceptions of Instructor's Verbal Aggressiveness and Physical Education Students' Affective Learning

Abstract

The study examined the effects of perceptions of instructor's verbal aggressiveness on students' affective learning, and, in particular, students' affect toward the course, course-related behaviour, the instructor, as well as students' satisfaction as a function of perceived verbal aggressiveness by the instructor. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine the psychometric integrity of the affective learning scale employed. The sample comprised 146 physical education undergraduate students (18–22 years old, M = 18.9, SD = 1.0). Results of a confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the factorial validity of the affective learning measure. Correlational analysis revealed a negative relationship between perceived verbal aggressiveness of the instructor and students' affect toward the course, course-related behaviour and the instructor, and students' satisfaction. The results of regression analysis revealed that perceived verbal aggression could significantly predict all the dependent variables; the prediction was particularly high for students' affect towards the instructor and students' satisfaction. Findings and implications for teachers' type of communication were discussed and future research suggestions were made.