Thinking styles and preferred teacher interpersonal behavior among Hong Kong students

This study investigated the relationship between thinking styles and preferred teacher interpersonal behavior based on the Model for Interpersonal Teacher Behavior (MITB, Wubbels, Créton, & Hooymayers, 1985) among 247 Hong Kong secondary school female students. The Thinking Style Inventory Revised (TSI-R, Sternberg, Wagner, & Zhang, 2003) and the Questionnaire for Teacher Interaction (QTI, Wubbels et al., 1985) were used to measure students' thinking styles and their preferred teacher interpersonal behavior. Research results showed that Type I global and liberal styles positively and negatively predicted student-centered teacher interpersonal behavior respectively, while Type I legislative and judicial styles negatively and positively predicted teacher-centered interpersonal behavior respectively. Type II conservative and executive styles positively predicted teacher-centered interpersonal behavior, while Type II executive and conservative styles positively and negatively predicted student-centered interpersonal behavior respectively. Implications of the research findings are discussed.

► Type I global and liberal styles positively and negatively predicted student-centered teacher interpersonal behavior respectively, while Type I legislative and judicial styles negatively and positively predicted teacher-centered interpersonal behavior respectively.
► Type II conservative and executive styles positively predicted teacher-centered interpersonal behavior; while Type II executive and conservative styles positively and negatively predicted student-centered interpersonal behavior respectively.
► Both Type I and Type II thinking styles valued the preferences for leadership, helpfulness, understanding, freedom, and strictness teacher interpersonal behavior.