This descriptive-correlational research study examined the relationships between teacher immediacy, autonomy and student self-efficacy, and task value motivation as reported by college students. Respondent demographic characteristics indicated the respondents were 64 percent male and 36 percent female. Freshman, sophomores, and seniors individually represented just over 20 percent each for a collective total of 66.4 percent, while Junior level students comprised 33.7 percent of the respondents.
Factory analysis was conducted on the Verbal Immediacy Behaviors (VIB) instrument, Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors (NIB) instrument and the Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ). Results of the factor analysis and re-examination of the foundational theories revealed concerns with the validity of the VIB. While the NIB failed to reveal a single factor construct, the instrument construction and questions utilized were highly supportive of Mehrabian's Implicit Communication Theory. The LCQ was deemed a valid measure of the autonomy-supportive behaviors of teachers.
Low to very low correlations existed between immediacy and autonomy constructs and the respondent demographics. Low to very low correlations were evidenced between the independent demographic variables and the dependent measures of student self-efficacy and task value motivation. Results showed a low correlation between the three independent constructs and self efficacy. Results indicated verbal immediacy explained 11% of the variance in self-efficacy and 6% of the variance in task value. Nonverbal immediacy explained 4% of the variance in self-efficacy and 2% of the variance in task value. Autonomy-supportive teacher behaviors explained 11% of the variance in self-efficacy and 6% of the variance in task value.
Recommendations include cautioned use of the Verbal Immediacy Behaviors instrument as a measure of immediacy, and continued use of the Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors and Learning Climate Questionnaire. Additionally, instructors need to be aware of the potential to influence student self-efficacy and monitor their verbal, nonverbal and autonomy-supportive behaviors.
Further recommendations include the need for continued research regarding the relationships between instructor communication and student motivation. The use of structural equation modeling was proffered as a possible means to examine, with greater acuity, the relationships between verbal immediacy, nonverbal immediacy, autonomy, self-efficacy, and task value.