| Abstract: | Fiedler's theory of leadership effectiveness was tested in the setting of a school practice period in a specialist college of physical education. Leader‐member relations, task structure, and position power, the three elements in Fiedler's model, were respectively operationalized as student teacher‐pupil relationships, games skills or movement and dance, and overall favourableness of the school situation. Although the correct prediction of appropriate student teacher leadership style was significantly beyond chance, the discussion of results questions whether the data provide support for Fiedler's contingency model. |
