Nagging Behavior Analysis

685 Words2 Pages

Dunleavy and Martin (2010) conducted research to analyze the perceptions of instructors and students regarding nagging strategies (behavior) in the classroom. There are seven nagging strategies that are most often used: barraging instructor, extracting sympathy, frustration, flattering the instructor, evoking student support, instructor incompetence, and making a deal. Dunleavy and Martin focused on how students and instructors differ in their perceptions of the frequency of student nagging behavior. Another focus was to analyze the nagging strategy that instructors found the most effective and appropriate. Dunleavy and Martin assumed that students and instructors would differ in their perceptions regarding the effectiveness and appropriateness …show more content…

This theory, founded by Stanford psychologist Leon Festinger, describes the mental state in which people feel when they have unpredictable thoughts relating to their decisions and the ability to change their attitude (Griffin, p. 200). This theory matters because its purpose is for people to find consistency in their beliefs, even if the situation is not consistent. When students are using nagging strategies and believe that their behavior is inappropriate or ineffective, they are experiencing dissonance (p. 317). Dunleavy and Martin found a way to reduce dissonance in students, by changing the students’ beliefs about general nagging behavior (p. 317). Having students perceive some of the nagging strategies as appropriate would help reduce their unpredictable thoughts, mostly because students would be much more comfortable knowing that this is the behavior they are displaying. For students to believe that their behavior is acceptable and appropriate is the main focus on reducing dissonance. As for instructors, Dunleavy and Martin suggest that they are not experiencing cognitive dissonance. Instructors are the ones who infer the behavior of the students, claiming that they would probably feel more comfortable in viewing the students’ behavior as less appropriate (p. 318).
Dunleavy and Martin (2010) presented the readers with nagging strategies perceived by instructors and students, as well as whether the strategies were appropriate, effective, and frequent. Research concluded that instructors and students did differ on their perceptions of frequency in student nagging behavior, while some nagging strategies seemed to be more effective and appropriate than

Open Document