The Relationship Between Instructor Misbehaviors and Student Antisocial Behavioral Alteration Techniques: The Roles of Instructor Attractiveness, Humor, and Relational Closeness

Using rhetorical/relational goal theory as a guiding frame, we examined relationships between instructor misbehaviors (i.e., indolence, incompetence, and offensiveness) and the likelihood of students communicating antisocial behavioral alteration techniques (BATs). More specifically, the study focused on whether students' perceptions of instructor interpersonal attractiveness (i.e., social, task, and/or physical), humor orientation, and relational closeness mediated the relationship between instructor misbehaviors and students' communication of antisocial BATs. The results from 258 university student participants supported predictions overall, with moderate effect sizes. Perceived humor orientation, interpersonal attractiveness, and relational closeness each predicted reduced antisocial BATs, whereas instructor misbehaviors were associated with an increased likelihood of communicating antisocial BATs. Although interpersonal attraction, humor orientation, and relational closeness predicted a reduction in the use of student antisocial BATs, they did not mediate the relationship between instructor misbehaviors and antisocial BATs use.