What key concept was highlighted in Kelley’s study on guest lectures?

What key concept was highlighted in Kelley’s study on guest lectures?

• A. The importance of teaching methods
• B. The effects of contrasting bios on perception of the lecturer
• C. The role of audience engagement in lectures
• D. The significance of lecture duration

Answer: (B)

Kelley’s study focused on how the presentation of contrasting bios can influence students’ perceptions of a guest lecturer. Specifically, the study found that when students were given two different biographies of the same lecturer—one portraying them in a positive light and the other in a negative light—the students’ impressions of the lecturer varied significantly based on which bio they read first. This demonstrates the concept of primacy effect, where information presented early on can disproportionately affect judgments, reflecting the broader understanding of how information framing can impact perceptions in social contexts. The other options, while relevant to education, do not capture the specific emphasis of Kelley’s findings on bios and their contrasting effects. The focus was not primarily on teaching methods, audience engagement, or lecture duration but rather on how the framing of information—specifically the lecturer’s biography—shapes audience perception. This highlights the importance of the context in which information is presented, a crucial element in social psychology.

Kelley’s study focused on how the presentation of contrasting bios can influence students’ perceptions of a guest lecturer. Specifically, the study found that when students were given two different biographies of the same lecturer—one portraying them in a positive light and the other in a negative light—the students’ impressions of the lecturer varied significantly based on which bio they read first. This demonstrates the concept of primacy effect, where information presented early on can disproportionately affect judgments, reflecting the broader understanding of how information framing can impact perceptions in social contexts.

The other options, while relevant to education, do not capture the specific emphasis of Kelley’s findings on bios and their contrasting effects. The focus was not primarily on teaching methods, audience engagement, or lecture duration but rather on how the framing of information—specifically the lecturer’s biography—shapes audience perception. This highlights the importance of the context in which information is presented, a crucial element in social psychology.