| Abstract: | In this study the possibility that variations in the nature and extent to which individual students interact with the teacher may, in fact, produce unintentional consequences is examined. A battery of tests measuring pupil cognitive, motivational, and personality characteristics was administered to 150 students in four classes prior to instruction. The nature and frequency of each student's interaction in a sample of five lessons was then determined. Canonical analysis was used to determine how these antecedent pupil characteristics and communication pattern variables were related to science achievement, attitudes towards science and socio-metric measures. Four independent relationships were found and appear to represent “syndromes” some of which lead to undesirable consequences if allowed to run their full course. |
