Dr. Fox effect

English

Etymology

Named after the actor Michael Fox, who was presented in the experiment as "Dr. Myron L. Fox".

Noun

Dr. Fox effect

1. (psychology) The tendency for students to rate a teacher highly if lectures are presented in a very expressive, humorous, and warm manner, even when the content of the lecture is meaningless and incomprehensible.
   • 1996, Cynthia Crossen, Tainted Truth: The Manipulation of Fact in America, page 21:

     Studies have also been done on the psychological aspects of credibility, like the "Dr. Fox effect" research of the early 1970s, in which an actor was programmed to teach material he knew nothing about.

   • 1997, Raymond P. Perry, John C. Smart, Effective Teaching in Higher Education: Research and Practice, page 301:

     The focus of this research was not the Dr. Fox effect nor even SETS, but how instructor expressiveness interacted with perceived control to influence achievement test scores.

   • 2000, John Heywood, Assessment in Higher Education, page 104:

     One of the most interesting phenomena associated with teaching delivery is the Dr Fox Effect. This relates to the skill of the lecturer in seducing favourable evaluations from students.