Teachers Misunderstand the Effect of Their Coercion in Class on the Lesson Social Climate

• In Event: Conceptualizing Classroom Management in Terms of Behavior, Efficacy, Coercion, and Effective Strategies

Abstract

Teachers may believe that behaviours such as punishing increase their influence in class. According to students, teachers do not gain influence by using coercion, but loose warmth. We examines teachers’ understanding of the effect of their coercion on the lesson social climate and tested whether teachers’ general levels of authority and care affect teachers’ accuracy of understanding. Teachers (N=48) and their students (N=1208) rated classroom lessons with questionnaires. Analyses showed that accuracy of teacher understanding of the effect of coercion on the lesson social climate depended on teachers’ general care. Most teachers misinterpreted coercion as helpful to gain influence and underestimated the harmfulness to their warmth during a lesson.

Authors

• Tim Mainhard, Utrecht University - Dept of Education

• Raisa van Winden, Utrecht University

• Theo Wubbels, Utrecht University

• Mieke Brekelmans, Utrecht University