My Instructor Really Understands Me – or Do They? Measuring Student Perceptions of Instructor Empathy

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Motivation and Cognitive Processes in Classrooms

Abstract

Student perceptions have often been important factors in determining student behavior. Also, evidence indicates the importance of empathy in human relationships. Yet we have limited knowledge of the possible impact of students’ perceptions of their instructor’s empathy. This study details the development and validation of the Student Perceptions of Instructor Empathy Scale for Undergraduates (SPIES-U). We hypothesized a four-factor model with one factor measuring student perceptions of affective empathy and three factors measuring various perceptions of cognitive empathy. Results indicate a two-factor solution, one factor each for perceptions of affective and cognitive empathy. Future implications for research are discussed.

Authors

• Jeff Vomund, George Mason University

• Angela D. Miller, George Mason University

• Michelle M. Buehl, George Mason University

• Melissa Broeckelman-Post, George Mason University