Self-Disclosures During Lecture Affect Students’ Perceptions of Professor But Not Student Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Background

Information disclosed by professors in class could have potentially positive or negative effects on instructor–student rapport, student perceptions of the professor, student engagement in the class, and student learning.

Objective

This study measured both perceptions of professor self-disclosure and the relationship between self-disclosure and students’ recall of information.

Method

Psychology students viewed a short video lecture in which a professor used different examples to illustrate an operant conditioning concept, including a personal self-disclosure of gambling addiction. This between-groups design used four videos featuring one of four examples: (a) personal gambling addiction, (b) cousin with gambling addition, (c) dog training, and (d) control with no self-disclosure. Participants rated the professor and answered questions about the content of the lecture.

Results

Students rated the self-disclosing professor significantly higher on the Generalized Anxiety Stigma Scale, demonstrating more stigma towards the professor who self-disclosed her gambling addiction. Student recall of lecture content was not significantly different between conditions.

Conclusion

These data suggest that self-disclosure of addiction may negatively impact how students perceive a professor but does not influence memory for lecture content.

Teaching Implications

Instructors may want to consider student perceptions before self-disclosing information about personal conditions such as addition.