ERIC Number: EJ1025011
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-8756-7555
EISSN: N/A
Professor Age Affects Student Ratings: Halo Effect for Younger Teachers
Wilson, Janie H.; Beyer, Denise; Monteiro, Heather
College Teaching, v62 n1 p20-24 2014
Student evaluations of teaching provide valued information about teaching effectiveness, and studies support the reliability and validity of such measures. However, research also illustrates potential moderation of student perceptions based on teacher gender, attractiveness, and even age, although the latter receives little research attention. In the present study, we examined the potential effects of professor age and gender on student perceptions of the teacher as well as their anticipated rapport in the classroom. We also asked students to rate each instructor's attractiveness based on societal beliefs about age and beauty. We expected students to rate a picture of a middle-aged female professor more negatively (and less attractive) than the younger version of the same woman. For the young versus old man offered in a photograph, we expected no age effects. Although age served as a detriment for both genders, evaluations suffered more based on aging for female than male professors.
Descriptors: College Faculty, Age, Sex, Teacher Characteristics, Student Attitudes, Interpersonal Attraction, Undergraduate Students, Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance, Online Surveys, Student Surveys, Multivariate Analysis, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Teacher Student Relationship
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A