Brandi N. Frisby

Instructor–Student and Student–Student Rapport in the Classroom

This study examined the relationships between instructors and their students, and between students, to determine their roles in building positive relationships and an overall positive classroom environment. Of particular interest was the examination of instructor rapport with students and rapport between students. Students (N=232) reported on their perceptions of interpersonal relationships in the classroom and on their perceived participation and learning. Results indicate that perceived rapport with instructors and classmates is related to perceptions of classroom connectedness. Instructor rapport, student rapport, and classroom connectedness enhanced student participation. Only instructor rapport consistently predicted participation, affective learning, and cognitive learning.

When Instructors Misbehave: An Examination of Student-to-Student Connectedness as a Mediator in the College Classroom

Using systems theory as a lens, instructor misbehaviors were examined in the context of the college classroom to determine if student-to-student connectedness mediated the relationships between instructor misbehaviors and student involvement and affective learning. Student-to-student connectedness mediated the relationships between instructor apathy and students’ willingness to talk in class and self-regulated learning. For example, when instructors are perceived as apathetic, students can still create a supportive, connected communication environment that facilitates positive learning outcomes. Connectedness partially mediated the relationships between irresponsibility and derisiveness, and students’ willingness to talk in class and self-regulated learning. However, connectedness did not mediate the relationships between instructor misbehaviors and affective learning. When instructor misbehaviors occur in the classroom, students may still experience positive learning outcomes through a connected classroom climate; however, in the end, students are likely to negatively evaluate the instructor and course.

Topic Avoidance, Everyday Talk, and Stress in Romantic Military and Non-Military Couples

Relationships are increasingly impacted by military involvement, necessitating a deeper understanding of communication within these couples. This study examined perceptions of everyday talk, topic avoidance, and stress of participants romantically involved with (a) a military partner (n = 118) or (b) a non-military partner (n = 94). Couple types avoided similar topics, but non-military partners avoided these topics more frequently than military partners. Both couple types engaged in everyday talk, but military partners found this communicative exchange to be more important. Non-military partners experienced greater stress than military partners, and communication was predictive of the stress experienced. The results of this study highlight similarities and differences in romantic couples and reveal areas in which relationship education can address these communicative nuances of military couples.

Face and resilience in divorce The impact on emotions, stress, and post-divorce relationships

Facework and resilience frameworks were employed to examine threats to, and the protection of, marital partners’ identity during divorce and as they relate to outcomes associated with divorce. Divorced participants (N = 103) reported on the communicative face threats and support during divorce, reporting greater positive face threat and negative facework during divorce. The non-initiator experienced negative outcomes, including negative face threat and negative emotion, but reported no differences in stress when compared to the initiator or mutual decision makers. In addition, positive face threats and facework during divorce predicted post-divorce relationships. Specifically, low positive face threat and high positive face support were related to divorcees’ inclination to engage in positive interpersonal relationships after the divorce.

Rational actors: Channel selection and rational choices in romantic conflict episodes:

The proliferation of communication technologies creates many questions about these tools’ relational uses and effects. Rational Actor Theory posits that individuals consider the benefits and costs of using a channel for communicating a particular message. This study applied Rational Actor Theory to individuals’ (N = 129) channel choices during conflict episodes in their romantic relationships. Results indicated that partners using both integrating and avoiding conflict styles prefer face-to-face channels, while people using dominating styles prefer computer-mediated channels. Channel choice for conflict was not predicted by relationship length, type, or satisfaction. Only integrating and obliging conflict styles predicted relationship satisfaction.

Adult Siblings' Use of Affectionate Communication as a Strategic and Routine Relational Maintenance Behavior

This study explored whether adult siblings engage in affectionate communication (i.e., verbal statements, nonverbal gestures, and social support behaviors) as one way to strategically and routinely maintain their relationships. Participants were 499 individuals who reported on a sibling relationship. It was found that adult siblings reported using verbal statements, nonverbal gestures, and social support behaviors as strategic relational maintenance behaviors more frequently than as routine relational maintenance behaviors. To garner a more comprehensive role that affectionate communication plays as a relational maintenance behavior among adult siblings, researchers should consider assessing both trait expressed and trait received affection in future research projects.

Expanding the Scope of Instructional Communication Research: Looking Beyond Classroom Contexts

The bulk of instructional communication research to date examines communication among teachers and students in conventional classroom contexts. Although past and present research is prolific and informative, it is also somewhat limiting. With a specific unifying focus on affective, cognitive, and behavioral learning as outcome variables, we begin this article with a brief history of instructional communication research, as well as examples of research and practice in conventional classroom settings. We then outline, review, and explain four distinct contexts where we believe future instructional communication research and practice is likely to be fruitful: risk and crisis situations, technology-enhanced environments, digital games, and forensics education.

Instructor Compliance to Student Requests: An Examination of Student-to-Student Connectedness as Power in the Classroom

Using facework as a theoretical lens, we examined power in the classroom from the standpoint that students, as a connected group, may have upward influence in the college classroom. Participants included both students (N = 375) and faculty (N = 104) who reported on perceptions of classroom connectedness and instructor compliance to student requests. Both students and instructors reported a positive link between perceptions of student-to-student connectedness and instructor compliance. In addition, instructors were more likely to comply when they reported liking their students. Finally, students perceived greater connectedness and compliance in smaller classes than in larger classes. However, instructors did not share this perception. Overall, this study revealed that a connected classroom climate may serve as a relational resource for students that can impact an instructors decisions in the college classroom.

Violating Student Expectations: Student Disclosures and Student Reactions in the College Classroom

Expectancy violations theory (EVT; Burgoon & Hale, 1988) was the theoretical lens used in this study about perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate student disclosures in the college classroom. Participants (N = 211) were randomly assigned to report on either (a) an inappropriate or (b) an appropriate disclosure and the frequency, relevance, negativity, expectedness of the disclosure, and likeability and perceived academic competence of a student discloser. Results indicate that student disclosures are inappropriate when they happen frequently, are negative, irrelevant to course materials, or violate student expectations for classroom norms. Generally, disclosers who violate expectations are rated lower in liking and perceived as less competent students by their classmates.

Fair and Square? An Examination of Classroom Justice and Relational Teaching Messages

Students and instructors acknowledge the importance of the instructor–student relationship in the classroom. Despite the importance of the instructor–student interpersonal relationship, there can also be unexpected or undesirable outcomes associated with relational teaching. Using the theoretical framework of leader–member exchange, we explored relational teaching messages to understand how they may relate positively or negatively to student perceptions of classroom justice. Participants (N = 124) completed measures about relational communication strategies (i.e., rapport, confirmation, and affinity-seeking) and classroom justice (i.e., procedural, interactional, and distributive). Results indicate the enjoyable interaction dimension of rapport positively predicted perceptions of all three types of justice. The response to questions dimension of confirmation positively predicted perceptions of procedural and interactional justice.