Rapport, Motivation, Participation, and Perceptions of Learning in U.S. and Turkish Student Classrooms: A Replication and Cultural Comparison

Abstract

Building on previous rapport research, Hofstede's dimensions of culture, and calls for culture-centered instructional research, this study examined instructor-student rapport in U.S. and Turkish college classrooms. U. S. participants (N = 143) and Turkish participants (N = 185) completed measures of rapport, state motivation, participation, and perceptions of learning. Results revealed no differences in state motivation and perceptions of learning, but U. S. students reported significantly more rapport with their instructors while Turkish students reported significantly more participation in the classroom. Rapport significantly predicted state motivation, participation, and perceptions of learning in both samples, but accounted for different levels of variance in the student outcomes.