Research Proposal

Laurel Wenzel
Intern Mentor
2015-2016
Title: Effect of Student and Teacher Attire
Introduction and overview:
This research will involve the behavioral, environmental, and academic outcomes of
professional attire in the classroom. Attire can affect all these variables however the problem
attempted to be solved by this research is how this relationship is important in the school system.
The most effective way to use attire in the classroom as it pertains to both student and teacher
will be shown through this research. Uniforms and dress codes of both teachers and students will
be evaluated through its effects in the classroom. Also, the primary research will show describe
behavioral effects of professional attire. The product will provide a lesson to teach students the
importance of professional attire in the workforce so they can be college and career ready by
using attire as an effective tool.
Background and Rationale:
Clothing has been a tool for thousands of years to differentiate groups of people. This
idea has evolved into many different eras of dress and numerous examples of symbols and
identity, as well as conformity. Fashion has been a part of human culture since human existence
and therefore has affected the way we view others by appearance based on ideals and traditions
that have been passed down through generations. Only in the 20th century did people start
researching these effects of appearance on behavior and perception with the birth and acceptance
of modern social psychology. Psychologist of this time such as Phil Zimbardo with The Stanford
Prison Study showed how a uniform can change an attitude a person gives of and how other
behavior around them is affected (Haney, Zimbardo, & Banks, 1973). However, people in recent
times have become adapt to an increasingly casual wardrobe. This is due in part to the appeal of
casual fridays, first introduced by the hawaiians in the early sixties (Marks, 2015). Fashions
change with changing social ideals which can have a major influence behaviors in the workplace
and especially in the school system. With changes in expectations of teacher and student attire
there can be changes in the classroom environment, behavior, and academics as well. Teachers
have always been expected to dress in a way that shows their authority however recent studies
have challenged this necessity.
Student attire is also a controversial topic even present day. However this issue dates
back centuries. One of the earliest examples of uniforms is at London's Christ's Hospital, in
Horsham, West Sussex, founded in 1552, originally for orphans and the poor (Scott, 2015). In
Britain, uniforms are still very respected however in the modern United States student uniforms
and dress codes are constantly being reevaluated and rationalized. The roots of this debate in the
US can be seen in the early sixties when stricter rules started to reflected the cultural trends on
the cusp of 60s counterculture revolution. Many of the dress codes failed to establish a reason
to the request. (Spivack, 2012). Teachers and students began to acquire a more relaxed standards
for attire during this time and the school system tried to keep up by establishing specific
requirements through dress codes that have survived through today's culture. However, in the
later half of the sixties there arose a question of freedom of speech as famously tested by the
Tinker Vs. Des Moines case in 1969 (Rappaport, 2012). Even in more recent years, it can be hard

to create the most effective uniform and dress code policy because of the lack of research
provided for the pros and cons of this issue. The school system mostly relays on its principles to
enforce a reasonable and justifiable dress code. (Office of Educational Research, 2002).
Attire has been proven to be an influence on perception of success, and behavior of the
individual and of those around them. It is important to understand the behavioral effects of
clothing so that clothing can be used effectively as a tool in the classroom. Regulations on
students attire can impact their experience in school. Teacher attire can also impact how they are
perceived while enforcing and creating a specific environment. Teachers also serve as one of the
first role models for their students so it is important to teach by example how to present yourself
in the professional world in order to create college and career ready students.
Research Methodology:
Research Question:
Can attire affect behavior in the classroom?
Research Hypothesis:
Student and teacher attire can impact classroom behavior and academic outcomes as well as
create a positive or negative learning environment.
The paper will support the research hypothesis by explaining the behavioral effects of
clothing, and how they can be applied to the classroom. Enclothed cognition explains how
clothing can affect the wearer's psychological processes and problem solving skills. The theory
of enclothed cognition suggests that physically wearing clothing associated with certain
symbolic meaning leads the wearer to behave in accordance with that symbolic meaning
(Van Stockum & DeCaro, 2014). The paper will also outline the origins of dress codes and
uniforms and use policy reports and laws in the United States to track the origins, as well as the
environmental and behavioral factors attributed to different regulations. The paper will gather
existing research and utilize personal data collection to find the most effective way attire can be
used in the classroom. This would include regulations on both student and teacher attire.
Research Design Model:
This research will be an observational design model. This design will allow a relationship
to be revealed among student attire and academic performance/behavior. Also this design allows
the results to reflect all factors of the behaviors observed. The data collected will be quantitative
because results will be measured and generalized from the sample students. A rubric will be used
to observe the students as they present their topics. The results from the rubric and surveys will
show a relationship between the students performance and the attire they wear. Students wearing
professional attire will be compared to students wearing everyday clothing. Student professional
attire will be considered a more sophisticated garment or outfit that is unusual for the particular
student to wear. This could include more solid colors or key pieces such as blazers/jackets,
overall clean appearance. A positive/ negative learning environment will be accessed by
engagement of the students as measured by the number of participants in discussion, the number

of hands raised vs calling out as well as eye contact, posture and calculated speech during
presentations.
Data Collection:
Data collection will be through a collections rubrics and surveys. Observations of a class
of 21 students will be collected in a journal as each student completes their presentation. students
will be observed on professional attire, and behavior while performing as well as the behavior of
the audience. The students will be given a survey to assess their opinions on their performance as
a result of their professional attire. Teachers with similar plans will also be asked to observe
students behavior and classroom environment during presentations using a rubric created to
accesses student attire in regards to their academic performance. Quantitative data will be
compared through the number of audience hands raised vs calling out, the score determined for
each student, and results from the student survey. This form of data collection will be most
effective in providing a correlation between attire and academic performance.
This is primary research because the research design is original. Secondary sources will
be used for background and insight on the issue while the primary data will define the specific
correlation. The data collection is designed to show a relationship between attire and academic
performance, classroom environment, and behavior. The secondary sources are used to reinforce
ideas that are associated with these relationships.
Product Objective:
After the primary research is complete, the information will be showcased through a
lesson plan that allows the results to be recreated, and teach students the importance of
professional attire in order to prepare them for their future. This will be useful to all teachers who
wish to teach the curriculum in a way that is also useful for all students looking to be college and
career ready. This was chosen because it is useful way to incorporate a lesson on professional
attire that can be manipulated to any subject area. Students will be able to understand one aspect
of the professional world, and therefore be able to lead as they approach their futures. The
outcomes will be targeted toward teachers and communicated to teachers as an important topic to
incorporate into their classrooms. Teacher are the target audience because they are able to have
large influence as role models for their students and are encouraged to lead by example, by
showing they care about their job. This is important to create the most effective learning
environment and produce students that also care about their education. The product and
outcomes will be communicated through email, to teacher and administrators so they can
implement the findings into the classroom as a useful tool for teachers.

Logistical Considerations:
Resources needed would be a notebook for observations, printed surveys for the class, as
well as rubrics to distribute to participating teachers. Permission will be need from Mr. Weeks to
use the rubric and access the grades of the students presenting, as well as distribute the survey to

the students. Permission from other teacher will also be necessary in order for them to use the
rubrics in their own classroom to contribute to the data. Also permission must also be granted so
the final product can be shared through administration.
Timeline- (In third quarter, a timeline will be added that outlines the data collection,
product development, and audience distribution).
Approval

_______________________
Student Signature

_______________________
G/T Resource Teacher Signature

_____________________
Mentor/Advisor Signature

References
Haney, C., Zimbardo, P. G., & Banks, C. (1973). Interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison.
International Journal of Criminology and Penology, 69(97), 75-90. Retrieved from
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Craig_Haney2/publication/232496133_Interpersonal
_dynamics_in_a_simulated_prison/links/0046352fb9c0631e12000000.pdf
Marks, G. (2015, September 6). The fallout from casual fridays. CBS News. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-fallout-from-casual-fridays/
Office of Educational Research and Improvement, School Dress Code and Uniform Policy,

200 (Or. 2002). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED471528.pdf

Rappaport, D. (2012). Be the Judge, Be the Jury: Tinker vs. des moines (Illustrated ed.).
Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=JifxAgAAQBAJ&dq
=tinker+vs+des+moines&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Scott, J. (2015, September 5). School uniforms: A history of 'rebellion and conformity'.
Retrieved December 7, 2015, from BBC News Online website: http://www.bbc.com/new
s/uk-england-29047752
Spivack, E. (2012, October 15). Dress codes and etiquette, part 1: What not to wear to high
school in the 1960s. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from Smithsonian website:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dress-codes-and-etiquette-part-1-what-notto-wear-to-high-school-in-the-1960s-74464285/?no-ist
Van Stockum, C. A., Jr, & DeCaro, M. S. (2014). Enclothed cognition and controlled attention
during insight problem-solving. Journal of Problem Solving, 7. Abstract retrieved from
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1164&context=jps