Influence of social studies teachers on student behavior in a simulation game

Abstract

The present study was designed to measure the influence of social studies teachers classified as authoritarian and democratic upon their pupils' verbal behavior during a simulation game. A 2x2x2 research design was employed. The 55 intermediate and secondary social studies teachers from a large south Texas public school district were selected subjects in this study conducted over a three month period during the 1974-1975 school year. The first quarter on the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory and the fourth quarter on the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale established the secondary and intermediate teachers classified as democratic. The fourth quarter on the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory and the first quarter on the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale established the secondary and intermediate teachers classified as authoritarian. Each teacher also completed a personal data form generating information in regard to age, sex, total years of teaching experience, teaching experience in the district, teaching certificate held, degree held, major and minors of degrees held, and finally, colleges attended.