The relationship between helper set type and ability to communicate facilitative conditions.
Creators: name: Bunn, Helen.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 1978
Subjects: subject: Education, Educational Psychology.

description: The purpose of this study was to test the postulated relationship between Uznadze's type of set and the ability to experience and communicate Rogers' facilitative conditions. Individuals who have a dynamic set as opposed to a static set tend to be harmonious, flexible, adaptable, able to process information efficiently and able to repress their own needs to focus on the needs of others. Such characteristics are similar to those ascribed by Rogers to more fully functioning persons who are more able to exhibit congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding. It was therefore hypothesized that teachers who possess a more dynamic set communicate higher levels of congruence, level of regard and empathic understanding than teachers who possess a more static set. No directional hypothesis was made regarding the variable of unconditionality due to a lack of theoretical justification. The variable of unconditionality was included in the study because it has been used by some researchers as a measure of Rogers' facilitative conditions. The measuring instruments used in this study were the Relationship Inventory developed by Barrett-Lennard and the Uznadze Set Test-Visual Modality. One hundred six teachers from two secondary schools in a large suburban area were administered the Uznadze Set Test-Visual Modality. Those teachers scoring in approximately the top one-third on set extinction on the Uznadze Set Test-Visual Modality were classified as more dynamic, while those teachers scoring in approximately the bottom one-third on set extinction were classified as more static. A minimum of seven students was randomly selected from a class of each of the teachers in these two groups. Students assessed their teacher's level of the facilitative conditions using the Relationship Inventory. A multivariate analysis of variance followed by a Step-down F procedure was utilized to analyze the data relevant to the hypothesis. A univariate analysis of variance was utilized to analyze the data relevant to the variable of unconditionality. Results of the multivariate analysis of variance showed significant differences between the two groups. In examining the Step-down F results, it was found that teachers who were more dynamic did not differ significantly from teachers who were more static on the variable of congruence. However, when the effect of congruence was removed a significant difference was evident on the variable level of regard. When the effects of congruence and level of regard were removed, no significant difference was evident for the variable of empathic understanding. No difference was found between the more dynamic and the more static teachers on the variable of unconditionality. Reasons for the above cited results were presented and discussed. It was suggested that the study be repeated using elementary teachers, using secondary teachers assigned to small numbers of students and using counsellors. It was further suggested that future researchers give consideration to the number of years of experience accumulated by the teacher as well as the leadership style of the principal involved. Finally, suggestions were made to utilize other scales to measure Rogers' facilitative conditions.