Teachers' Perceptions of Inappropriate Student Behavior as a Function of Teachers' and Students' Gender and Ethnic Background

Abstract

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of inappropriate student behavior as a function of students' and teachers' gender and ethnic background characteristics. The study used videotapes depicting inappropriate behavior of four different students (i.e., African-American female, African-American male, White female, White male). A total of 87 inservice teachers and 99 preservice teachers viewed the videotapes. Following each videotape, participants were asked to complete a 32-item behavior rating scale focusing on the teachers' perceptions of the student in each videotape. Analysis of the data revealed statistically significant differences related to the gender of the teacher, but not to the ethnic background of the teacher. Statistically significant differences also were found among students depicted in the videotapes. The African-American female student was judged to display more problem behaviors than the White female student, and the White male student was rated as displaying more classroom difficulties than the White female student. Teachers were not found to make judgments based on their ethnic background. The gender of the teacher and the gender of the student appeared to have the most influence on teachers' perceptions of behavior.