Abstract

This study explored how chronemic conditions in email exchanges affect student liking of instructor. Participants (N = 123) were exposed to one of four email vignettes that simulated a message exchange between a student and instructor. In each vignette, a student posed a question to their instructor about a class assignment. The researchers manipulated the importance of the assignment discussed (low and high assignment point value) as well as the speed at which the instructor responded (10 hours and 14 days). A factorial ANOVA indicated that only instructor response time significantly influenced student liking of instructor. Implications of these finding are discussed and practical suggestions are offered for instructors.

Key words: instructional communication, expectancy violations theory, chronemics, computer-mediated communication