Final answer:
Instructors are concerned about students' emotive reactions such as depression, withdrawal, anger, and guilt, all of which can impact learning and mental health. Depression affects neuron development and cognitive functions, impeding the learning process. Educators can foster a healthier learning environment by promoting intrinsic motivation and minimizing emotional risks.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the greatest concerns of instructors in educational settings is the strong emotive reactions of students to material, which may manifest in various forms. When experiencing strong reactions, students might exhibit reactions such as depression, withdrawal, anger, or guilt. Depression in particular can greatly impact a student's ability to learn, as it affects healthy neuron development and can lead to cognitive impairments such as a lack of focus, being easily distracted, and struggling to learn new skills, as outlined by BrightView's research on mental health and education. The emotional turmoil might also lead to aggression or cognitive dissonance, depending on individual experiences and classroom dynamics.
Considering the potential emotional harm or risks such as the bystander effect, it's important for educators to be aware of these possible reactions and to create an environment that minimizes these triggers. This might include fostering intrinsic motivation through respectful and inclusive classroom settings, reducing the emphasis on evaluations, and providing rationale and control over learning activities. Such strategies can support better mental health outcomes and more effective learning experiences for students.