Students’ Cognitive Impulsivity and Students’ Perceptual Discrimination Between Teachers

Abstract

The present study explores individual differences in students’ perceptual discrimination. Studies on student perceptions of teacher behavior confirm that teacher behavior affects student success at school. However, research on student perception also indicates considerable disagreement in student perceptions of teacher behavior. Therefore the present paper explores if individual students might differ in their perceptual discrimination. One variable theorized important in perceptual discrimination is an individuals’ perceptual processing. Hence, the present study explores if cognitive impulsivity – a widely accepted measure of cognitive processing – explains variance in students’ perceptual discrimination. 299 students, age 11-14, in 13 different classes participated. The Questionnaire of Teacher Interaction (QTI) was used to measure students’ perceptions of teacher behavior. Per class four teachers were selected by their schools based on their presumed different teaching styles. Students’ perceptual discrimination was divided in students’ perceptual discrimination of teachers’ control and affiliation. The Matching Familiar Figures Test-20 (MFFT-20) was used to operationalize students’ cognitive impulsivity. Results indicate considerable variance in students’ discrimination. Further, students’ perceptual discrimination between teachers was found class dependent. Cognitive impulsivity was positively associated with students’ discrimination in teachers’ control, but not in teachers’ affiliation. Implications of these results are discussed.