UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Nonverbal immediacy refers to behaviours that reduce psychological distance and create a sense of warmth and accessibility. Teachers who make eye contact, move purposefully toward students and use open, friendly gestures tend to be perceived as more caring and involved, which encourages attention and participation.

Option A:
Option A describes distant behaviour lacking eye contact, which can make students feel ignored or intimidated and therefore reduces engagement.

Option B:
Option B is correct because eye contact, reasonable proximity and open gestures all signal interest and availability, increasing students’ sense of connection and willingness to interact.

Option C:
Option C, reading from slides without looking at students, sends the message that the teacher is focused on the material, not the learners, which weakens immediacy.

Option D:
Option D, spending most of the time with one’s back to the class, prevents monitoring of students’ reactions and breaks nonverbal connection.

Statements A, B and D are correct, while C is the only wrong statement. A is correct because appropriate eye contact communicates attention and engagement. B is correct since moving closer, when culturally appropriate, can reduce psychological distance between teacher and students. D is correct because a genuine smile tends to make students feel welcomed and more willing to participate. C is wrong because turning away and avoiding eye contact usually create distance and detachment rather than enhancing closeness or immediacy.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it labels A and C as wrong, even though A accurately identifies eye contact as an immediacy behaviour. While C is wrong, pairing it with A misclassifies a correct non-verbal strategy. Therefore this combination cannot be accepted as the set of wrong statements.

Option B:
Option B groups C and D as wrong, but D correctly notes that a genuine smile contributes to a friendly climate. Treating D as wrong contradicts research on teacher immediacy and rapport. As a result, C and D only is not a valid answer.

Option C:
Option C treats A, C and D as wrong, but A and D both describe positive immediacy behaviours that support engagement. Combining them with C in a wrong set makes this option overinclusive and inconsistent with communication theory. Hence it cannot be chosen.

Option D:
Option D isolates C only as wrong and leaves A, B and D as correct behaviours, matching accepted views on non-verbal immediacy. It correctly recognises that avoiding eye contact and turning away typically increase distance rather than closeness. For these reasons, C only is the correct answer.

Statements A, B and D are correct, whereas C is incorrect. A is true because immediacy behaviours such as addressing students by name and showing interest can strengthen their sense of belonging. B is true since feeling close to the teacher often encourages students to ask questions and contribute. D is true as immediacy includes verbal actions like praise and non-verbal cues such as eye contact and open posture. C is false because aloof and distant behaviour generally reduces, rather than increases, student motivation.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it contains only A and B and omits D, failing to mention that both verbal and non-verbal actions form part of immediacy. Without D, the description of immediacy is incomplete. Therefore A and B only cannot be the correct answer.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it groups B and D only and leaves out A, overlooking the broader impact of immediacy on students’ sense of belonging to the class. Since A is also correct, B and D only is not a full representation of the concept.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it brings together A, B and D, the three statements that accurately connect teacher immediacy with student motivation and participation. It explicitly rejects C, which wrongly suggests that distance and aloofness raise motivation. Hence this option best matches the set of correct statements.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct, including C. Since C promotes a view contrary to research on teacher immediacy, the presence of this false statement invalidates the combination.

Statements A, B and E are correct, whereas C, D and F are incorrect. Teacher movement can make the teacher appear more approachable, and culturally appropriate supportive touch may convey care in certain contexts. Genuine smiles tend to relax students and reduce tension. However, immediacy cues are not interpreted identically across cultures, rigid posture does not usually enhance immediacy, and completely avoiding eye contact often signals disinterest or discomfort rather than safety. Therefore A, B and E form the correct set of statements.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only A and B and omits E, leaving out the important role of smiling in reducing anxiety. While A and B are correct, the absence of E means the combination is incomplete. Hence it cannot be chosen as the answer.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it adds C to the otherwise correct A and B. C wrongly claims uniform interpretation of non-verbal immediacy across cultures, ignoring cultural variation. Including C makes the combination inconsistent with intercultural communication research.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it groups A, B and E, capturing movement, supportive touch and smiling as positive immediacy behaviours. It excludes C, D and F, which make inaccurate claims about universality, posture and eye contact. Thus this option matches the set of correct statements.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it omits A and includes F. A is a valid statement, while F incorrectly suggests that avoiding all eye contact promotes safety. This mixture of omission and error means B, E and F only cannot be accepted.