PERCEIVED ROLE ORIENTATION, ROLE AMBIGUITY, AND ROLE CONFLICT OF INDIANA PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

CLARE LYNWOOD ERB, Purdue University

Abstract

High levels of role ambiguity and role conflict have been associated with a variety of negative effects on the psychological and emotional well being of workers and on the quality of the work they perform. Studies have indicated that the orientation one takes toward his/her role may affect levels of perceived role ambiguity and role conflict. This study investigated the personal and situational characteristics of Indiana public school board members, their orientations toward their roles, their perceived levels of role ambiguity and role conflict, and the relationships among these variables. It was hypothesized that the personal/situational characteristics of board members are related to role orientations and that role orientations are related to levels of perceived role ambiguity and role conflict. A stratified random sample of 290 board members was drawn from the population of all Indiana public school board members. A questionnaire was mailed to each subject, and 175 usable responses were received. The questionnaire assessed six personal and six situational characteristics of board members, measured the tendency of board members toward an orientation of responsiveness to education professionals (technological) or to the public (democratic), and measured perceived levels of role ambiguity and conflict. Descriptive statistics described the "typical" board member in terms of personal/situational characteristics, role orientation, role ambiguity, and role conflict levels. Partial correlations were calculated among variables to test hypothesized relationships. The results of the study produced a profile of the "typical" Indiana school board member as a middle-aged, politically conservative male with about two years of college education, employed in a position involving supervisory responsibilities, and earning an upper middle class income. This typical board member was elected to serve on a board of five or seven members in a rural or small town community with a school population of about 2500 students. He has been on the board for about five years and considers his district to have financial resources comparable to the average Indiana school corporation. Indiana public school board members tend to be oriented more toward a responsiveness to the expertise of the education profession that to the demands or wishes of the public. This seems to be particularly true when controversial issues arise and public opinion is in conflict with professional advice. Board members appear confident in their understanding of what their roles are in the governance of the public schools, and neither the varying demands of special interest groups nor the requirements of home and career cause them great internal conflict about their roles as board members. The hypothesized relationships among variables were only partially supported by the results, and even those correlations that proved to be statistically significant were quite low. There was a tendency for board members with higher personal incomes to be slightly more technologically oriented than lower income board members. Democratically oriented board members tended to experience slightly more role conflict than technologically oriented board members; and while the relationship between orientation and ambiguity was in the same direction, as hypothesized, it was not statistically significant. Finally, it was found that board members who experience higher levels of role ambiguity tend also to experience higher levels of role conflict.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

School administration

COinS