Perspectives on the dental school learning environment: Putting theory X and theory Y into action in dental education

Joseph P. Connor, Karen Troendle

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Theory X and Theory Y are terms coined by Douglas McGregor to express the belief that managers' behaviors are shaped by their assumptions about the motivation of their subordinates. The theories were applied to dental education in a Perspectives article published in the August 2007 issue of the Journal of Dental Education. This article explains how those seemingly contradictory theories can be reconciled using the concept of the "emotional bank account" introduced by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Understanding the underlying concept of an emotional bank account helps dental educators to bridge the generation gap between instructors, born during the baby boom period of 1946-63, and dental students, born after 1980, who are referred to as "Generation Y" or "millennials.".

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1436-1439
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of dental education
Volume72
Issue number12
StatePublished - Dec 1 2008

Keywords

  • Dental education
  • Emotional bank account
  • Generation Y
  • Millennials
  • Theory X and theory Y

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • General Dentistry

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