The article discusses psychological microclimate of a student group under different instructional formats (teaching and learning face-to-face, online, or blended). The main objective of the study was to explore factors that contribute the microclimate formation in connection with the changes that the formal postsecondary education undergoes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred and sixty-six students of several higher education institutions in Rostov-on-Don, Russia took part in the study. To fulfill the study objective, data about various individual characteristics of participating students and their subjective rating of the psychological microclimate in the respective student groups were collected by means of psychological testing and subjected first to the ANOVA and then to the multiple regression analyses. ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences across instructional formats either in the microclimate scores or in the respondents’ psychological characteristics. The follow-up multiple regression analysis explored models of joint contribution of the predictor variables to the formation of the microclimate in student groups. Specifically, it found that the relationship between the microclimate and emotional tone is negative, whereas generosity and leadership inclinations are positive predictors of the psychological microclimate in student groups. Better understanding what factors determine dynamic interactions among students in various instructional formats could be instrumental in optimizing microclimate in students group, undoubtedly affected by rather dramatic changes in all aspects of our social lives, caused by the current epidemiological situation in the world. Psychological microclimate in a group is, in turn, capable of seriously impacting on students’ learning performance and psychological wellbeing.
The existing approaches to understanding the attraction and methods of its study are indicated. There are three levels of attraction in a small group — interpersonal, microgroup and group attraction, each of which includes three components — subjective, communicative and activity-oriented. In accordance with this idea a questionnaire of interpersonal attraction and a questionnaire of group and micro-group attraction were developed. Each of the questionnaires includes three subscales for measuring the relevant components of the attraction. To assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaires, a survey was conducted in 18 small production groups — primary structural divisions in organizations and in small companies. The total number of respondents was 200 employees. For each questionnaire factor analysis was performed and the internal consistency of the subscales was assessed. It is shown that the questionnaires have validity and reliability. It is proved expedient to separate three subscales in each questionnaire. The main conclusions are drawn and the possibilities of using the developed tools for research and practical purposes are highlighted.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.