ABSTRACT
Consistent with Mehrabian’s conceptualization of immediacy, the Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors Instrument assesses students’ perceptions of a teacher’s physical or psychological closeness by identifying behaviors of approach—avoidance. J. F. Andersen also provided the Generalized Immediacy Scale to assess teachers’ nonverbal immediacy, and it is included in this volume. Unlike the V. P. Richmond et al. low-inference assessment of immediacy, however, Andersen’s scale measures a more gestalt, high-inference perception of another’s level of immediacy. Both instruments are reliable, valid indicators of immediacy. The decision to use a low- versus a high-inference scale is based on several factors. Recall data may be more accurately obtained with a global, high-inference assessment, particularly if students are recalling their teacher’s nonverbal behaviors from past semesters. Infrequent interface with the targeted teacher may require high-inference assessment. Prescribing specific teacher behaviors for training and instruction should mandate a low-inference measure.
