The article that I choose was one that dealt with a study of immediacy, credibility and learning between students and teachers in the United States and the similarities and differences between those in Kenya. Immediacy, which originally defined by Mehrabian(1971), refers to behaviors of approach and avoidance related to one's sense of liking(Johnson & Miller, 2002). The way immediacy is studied is usually through student reports of perceived occurrence of specified verbal and nonverbal behaviors (Johnson & Miller). How teachers can display verbal immediacy is by referring to a student by name, using humor in the classroom, listening to students' opinions. The teacher can display nonverbal communication through behaviors such as making eye contact directly with students, using positive facial expressions, maintaining a relaxed body position with students, and employing variety in vocal inflections (Johnson & Miller).
             The authors made some hypothesis in the beginning of the study. Hypothesis one was that consistent positive relationships exist between learning (and therefore negative relationships exist between learning loss) and professor/lecturer verbal immediacy, nonverbal immediacy, and credibility across U.S. and Kenyan university students. The second hypothesis was that U.S. and Kenyan students perceived consistent positive relationships between professor/lecturer immediacy and professor/lecturer credibility (Johnson & Miller, 2002).
             In American culture increased teacher immediacy has been associated with higher perceived cognitive learning (Johnson & Miller, 2002). Most African cultures are considered to be highly immediate, however, these cultures tend to be high in power distance (Johnson & Miller). This means that members of these societies consider the unequal distribution of power and status to be a normal part of life (Johnson & Miller).
             Data were gathered from samples of students at two relatively sm...