NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN THE ELEMENTARY TEACHER CANDIDATE EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN THE ELEMENTARY TEACHER CANDIDATE EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW
Files
Publication or External Link
Date
1994
Authors
Eng, Kathleen Freeberg
Advisor
Charles, Flatter
Citation
DRUM DOI
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between elementary
teacher candidates' nonverbal communication, eye contact and
smile, and their potential to be offered employment by
elementary school principals. The focus of this study was the
relationship between the principal's preference for the
employment of a teacher candidate and the duration of eye
contact, number of eye contacts, and number of smiles
exhibited by the candidate throughout the interview. As
subsets of number of smiles, three specific types of smiles:
Duchenne, false, and listener response smiles were also
investigated.
Fifty female elementary teacher candidates between the
ages of twenty-one and twenty-four that met established
standards for employment consideration and ten male elementary
school principals participated in actual employment
interviews. Each of the principals interviewed five teacher
candidates individually for approximately thirty minutes in a
structured employment interview. Data collection consisted of
interview observations, surveys, and post interview
questionnaires completed by both principals and candidates.
The principal's preference of a candidate for employment
was reflected in the rank assigned to the candidate following
the interview. Candidates were assigned a number from one to
five with one indicating the highest preference.
Multiple and stepwise regression analyses were used to
determine the impact nonverbal cues had on a teacher
candidate's rank. When the nonverbal behaviors, eye contact
and smile, were analyzed collectively against the rank the
candidate received, no significant relationship was found.
When the nonverbal behaviors were evaluated separately,
duration of eye contact was found to be significant and a
predictor of a principal' s preference of a candidate for
employment. Increased duration of eye contact lead to a
higher rank. However, the number of times a teacher candidate
established eye contact with the elementary school principal
or smiled during the interview had no significance in relation
to the candidate's rank. Neither the number of eye contacts
alone nor the number of smiles alone could be used to predict
the employment recommendation. Additionally, Duchenne, false,
and listener response smiles, either separately or in
combination, showed no significance with rank.