Learner-instructor similarity: a social attribution approach to learning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test a model in which instructor’s attributes (i.e. personality, age) are specified as social stimuli. Drawing on a constructivist view of learning (Palincsar, 1998) and similarity-attraction paradigm (Byrne, 1971), the authors hypothesize that instructor’s attributes influence learners’ reactions and dictate key attributions for learning: instructor’s competence and goodwill. The authors place these attributions as antecedents of learning results. Design/methodology/approach – In a quasi-experimental design, undergraduate business students ( n =133) participated in a training program of managerial skills over a three-week period. Regression and path analyses were utilized in testing the hypothesized model. Findings – Results provide partial support to the hypothesized model and suggest that learning is a social event wherein learners’ attributions play a key role. Results also indicate that learner-instructor similarity in personality is an important antecedent of learners’ social reactions. The authors discuss how instructor’s attributes become social stimuli. Practical implications – The authors address why the instructor’s personality might be more consequential for learning than his/her demographic attributes. Also, the authors discuss why the manipulation of learners’ attributions might be considered an appropriate pedagogical strategy. Originality/value – Scholars primarily considered learners’ traits (e.g. IQ) and educational practices (e.g. teaching style) in explaining learning results. This emphasis has neglected analysis of the social role of instructors. This study contributes by examining how instructors induce social reactions on learners with significant repercussions for learning.