Relationship between Group Polarization and Attitude towards Work among Secondary School Teachers in Gucha Subcounty, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between group polarization and attitude towards work among secondary school teachers in Gucha Sub County. Objectives were: to find out the relationship between social comparison and attitude towards work among teachers, to find out the relationship between persuasive arguments and attitude towards work among teachers. The study adopted the Concurrent triangulation research design within the mixed methods approach. It was further informed by Decision Emergence Theory by Fisher (1968). The units of analysis were 20 secondary schools. The target population was 278 teachers, 21 Deputy Principals (D/Ps) and 1 Sub-county Quality Assurance and Standards Officer (SCQASO). The sample constituted 71 teachers, 6 D/Ps and 1 SCQASO. Teachers were picked out through stratified random sampling technique while the D/P’s and the SCQASO were selected through purposive sampling. The instruments of data collection were questionnaires and interview schedules. Validity of the questionnaires was ascertained by the researcher’s supervisors. Piloting was done in two secondary schools outside the sub county. Split half technique was used to work out the reliability of the questionnaires and a reliability coefficient of r=0.876 was obtained. Quantitative data was analyzed by descriptive statistics such as the mean, frequency counts and percentages and inferential statistics such as Karl Pearson’s Product Moment correlation and presented in tables. Qualitative data was also analyzed using the thematic analysis. The results indicated a strong positive relationship (r=0.816) between social comparison and attitude towards work. The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) was 0.667 which means that 66.7% of the variability in attitude towards work was predicted by social comparisons amongst the teachers. This variability is large, meaning that social comparison among teachers is one of the major factors that influence the attitude of teachers towards their work. There was a medium positive relationship (r=0.522) between persuasive arguments and attitude towards work. R2 was 27.3%. Therefore, persuasive arguments were responsible in predicting 27.3% of the variability in attitude towards work. The study therefore revealed that the independent variables viz: social comparison and persuasive arguments together explain 71.8% of the variability in attitude towards work among teachers. 29.2% of attitude towards work among teachers can be explained by other factors not investigated by this study. The study concluded that there was a significant relationship between group polarization and attitude towards work among teachers. It was recommended that the Ministry of education through the Principals should ensure that teachers are provided with a satisfying work environment so that teachers may not regroup and form negative attitudes. The study may be significant to teachers, principals and education officials. A study on the influence of teachers’ working environment on teachers’ attitudes would expound the present study.