Achievement of immediacy among elementary-aged students
Abstract
This study was originally designed to examine and measure the effect of touch on achieving immediacy between elementary-aged students and teachers. In its current form, it is a proposal for such an investigation. Immediacy is a construct for achieving influence nonverbally in human interactions. The purpose was to describe the communication between the elementary-aged student and teacher through touch, recognizing touch as a highly communicative act that greatly influences human interaction. The research questions that direct the study are as follows: What are the responses to touch preferences and selections between elementary-aged students and elementary teachers on the achievement of immediacy? How do elementary-aged students perceive touch in the professional/functional context, social polite context, and friendship/warmth context? How do teachers of elementary-aged students perceive touch in the professional/functional context, social polite context, and friendship/warmth context? A questionnaire was revised and adapted from one done by Woods (1997) created for high school students. The questions for the survey and the interviews were redesigned for elementary-aged students. The questionnaire and interview procedure was redesigned for use with elementary students and teachers. An informed consent was also created. The teachers would be asked to fill out a pencil and paper survey. The elementary-aged students were going to be interviewed by an interviewer requiring students to identify appropriate communication touch areas and point to a numbered area of the body. Recent policy changes regarding teachers touching students in the El Paso Independent School District, the Socorro Independent School District and several private schools, which shall remain anonymous, prevented the study from being conducted. The procedure for investigation is outlined with no data or results.
Subject Area
Elementary education
Recommended Citation
Clark, Marcia Lynn, "Achievement of immediacy among elementary-aged students" (2005). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1423743.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1423743