Student personality, classroom environment, and student outcomes: A person-environment fit analysis

This study examines whether congruence between classroom environment and student personality is associated with increases in student satisfaction and performance. Data were collected from students (n = 1763) at a comprehensive state university and analyzed using mixed-level maximum likelihood polynomial regression analysis and surface response methodology. Results indicate that student personality is a consistent predictor of student satisfaction, classroom environment is a consistent predictor of performance, and the interplay between the two is important in predicting satisfaction and performance. The personality characteristics of agreeableness and conscientiousness and the classroom environment dimension of structure were all positively related to both satisfaction and performance. Congruence between several personality traits and classroom environment elements was found to increase satisfaction, performance, or both. The implications of these results for instruction and research on person-environment fit in higher education are discussed.