Applying the Pressure: Exploring How Instructor Strictness Impacts Students’ Individual Classroom Experiences

ABSTARCT: Students tend to think negatively of strict (i.e., inflexible) instructors. However, strictness as an instructional variable is not theoretically positioned as positive or negative; its impact likely varies depending on the person. To investigate this idea, the current study thematically analyzed narratives from 457 students about their interactions with strict instructors. Three themes were identified from a clustering of 8 sub-themes reflecting a wide range of outcomes in the wake of perceived strict behavior: (1) Mindset and Motivation, (2) Affective Responses, and (3) Relational Distance. Although strictness is generally viewed as an undesirable instructor behavior, its actual influence appeared to be mixed. Moreover, responses highlighted how perceptions of strictness may have an indirect impact on students’ actual learning.