In this study, we investigated how various teaching behaviors influence student interest as a situational variable. Specifically, we studied how behaviors related to "catch" interest (i.e., ephemeral aspects of the learning environment such as instructor humor, nonverbal immediacy, intellectual stimulation) and "hold" interest…

Building on previous rapport research, Hofstede's dimensions of culture, and calls for culture-centered instructional research, this study examined instructor-student rapport in U.S. and Turkish college classrooms. U.S. participants (N = 143) and Turkish participants (N = 185) completed measures of rapport, state motivation, participation, and…

Following research indicating prevalent and deleterious use of social communication technology in college classrooms, this study investigated teacher credibility, learner empowerment, and online communication attitude as predictors of such use. The sample included 379 participants who completed an online survey about a college course. Results…

This study examined how mentoring initiation and maintenance strategies mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and intercultural communication competence on Chinese graduate students' program satisfaction. Results supported a partial mediation effect for mentoring maintenance strategies. By specifying the mediating effect, the model…

Instructors' use of humor is generally a positive influence on student outcomes. However, examinations of humor have found that specific types of messages may not impact, or may even reverse, its positive effect. Instructional humor processing theory (IHPT) has been used to explain how humor impacts student learning. The current study sought to…

With the increasing popularity of online learning in higher education comes a need to examine students' perceptions about classroom climate in these environments. This two-part study proposes the online learning climate scale (OLCS) for doing so. Informed by both instructional communication and education, the scale consists of several variables…

Based on emotional response theory (ERT), recent researchers have observed connections between teachers' communication behaviors and students' emotional reactions. In the present study, we further elaborated ERT by exploring the effects of teacher communication behaviors and emotional processes on discrete negative emotions, including anger,…

In this study, we used the broaden-and-build theory and emotional response theory as the framework to examine the effects of instructors' positive emotions on student engagement and critical thinking in U.S. and Chinese classrooms, as well as the mediating role of students' positive emotions in their relationships. MANOVA results revealed no…