Effects of expectation, social class, and experience on in-service teacher behavior in small groups

Abstract

Randomly assigned 81 teachers to planning groups of 3 and then to 1 of 4 treatments to test the hypotheses that expectation and social class affect small group behavior. 2 levels of expectation and 2 levels of school social class were simulated. The instructional material produced by groups exposed to the high-expectation treatment rated significantly higher (p < .01) than that of groups exposed to the low level. Groups exposed to the high-expectation, upper-social-class treatment produced instructional materials that were more intellectual than vocational in orientation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)