The Impact of Benevolent-Authoritative Teacher Leadership Behaviors on Students' Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationships: A Response Surface Analysis

Wu Junsheng; Xu Qiuyan; Zhao Xiaoqian; Liu Jiabin; Jiao Lan

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250508

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5) : 1113-1123. DOI: 10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250508

The Impact of Benevolent-Authoritative Teacher Leadership Behaviors on Students' Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationships: A Response Surface Analysis

Wu Junsheng, Xu Qiuyan, Zhao Xiaoqian, Liu Jiabin, Jiao Lan

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Abstract

As central figures in students' school lives, teachers serve not only as conveyors of knowledge and skills, but also as leaders within student groups. Their leadership styles significantly influence teacher-student relationships. Rooted in traditional Chinese culture, the educational philosophy of integrating benevolence with authoritativeness is ingrained and commonly applied in educational management practices. This philosophy suggests that teachers should balance benevolence and authoritativeness in teacher-student interactions. However, there is a lack of empirical research that directly assesses the scientific validity and appropriateness of benevolent-authoritative leadership styles in school settings. Based on the theory of ambidextrous leadership, the present study examined the effects of four distinct benevolent-authoritative leadership styles on students' perceived teacher-student relationships. It investigated the role of emotional experiences in it.
The present study employed the Benevolent Leadership Scale and the Authoritative Leadership Scale to assess teachers' benevolent-authoritative leadership styles. The Teacher-Student Relationship Scale was used to evaluate students' perceptions of their relationships with teachers, while the Positive and Negative Affect Scale measured students' emotional experiences. We surveyed 538 primary and secondary school students using whole-cluster sampling and, after data collation and obtained 532 valid responses (M_age= 13.91, SD = 1.34; 41.0% males). The valid data were first analyzed using polynomial regression and response surface analysis techniques. To assess the mediating effects, we combined benevolent and authoritative leadership behaviors into a block variable. The block variable was then included in the mediation model, with the mediation effect tested using the bootstrap method (repeated sampling 5000 times). The results indicated that: (1) When teachers' levels of benevolence and authoritativeness were consistent, leaders who were both high in benevolence and high in authoritativeness were associated with students’ perceptions of better teacher-student relationships than leaders who were both low in benevolence and low in authoritativeness. When the levels of benevolence and authoritativeness were inconsistent, leaders high in benevolence and low in authoritativeness were associated with better perceptions of teacher-student relationships than those low in benevolence and high in authoritativeness. (2) Emotional experience significantly mediated the relationship between the block variable of benevolence and authoritativeness and teacher-student relationships.
The current findings suggest that advocating a benevolent-authoritative leadership style for teachers is rational and appropriate in the Chinese cultural context. Specifically, a leadership style characterized by high benevolence and authoritativeness proves most effective in fostering positive teacher-student relationships. In contrast, approaches with solely high benevolence (high benevolence-low authoritativeness) or high authoritativeness (high authoritativeness-low benevolence) are less conducive to these positive outcomes. Students reported the most positive emotional experiences exclusively when teachers employed a high benevolent-high authoritative leadership style. It indicates that students not only highly value but also benefit from the benevolent-authoritative leadership style. Furthermore, it also reveals the crucial role of benevolence within this style—high benevolence can mitigate the potential negative impacts of high authoritativeness, and their combination results in the most favorable leadership outcomes.
In sum, the present study employed polynomial regression and response surface analysis to reveal, for the first time, the potential processes by which the benevolent-authoritative leadership style affects teacher-student relationships through emotional experiences. It also clarifies the relationship between "benevolence" and "authoritativeness" within this leadership style. In terms of theoretical contributions, the present study enriches the research on Chinese native leadership theories by delving deeper into its connotation and supporting the theory of ambidextrous leadership and the educational philosophy of integrating benevolence with authoritativeness, as emphasized by traditional Chinese culture. In terms of practical contributions, the present study provides valuable insights into how teachers can effectively lead their students by balancing benevolence and authoritativeness in the school context.

Key words

benevolent authority / teacher leadership behaviors / emotional experience / teacher-student relationships / response surface analysis

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Wu Junsheng, Xu Qiuyan, Zhao Xiaoqian, Liu Jiabin, Jiao Lan. The Impact of Benevolent-Authoritative Teacher Leadership Behaviors on Students' Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationships: A Response Surface Analysis[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2025, 48(5): 1113-1123 https://doi.org/10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250508

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