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The Role of Efficacy and Identity in Science Career Commitment Among Underrepresented Minority Students
Author(s) -
Chemers Martin M.,
Zurbriggen Eileen L.,
Syed Moin,
Goza Barbara K.,
Bearman Steve
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.2011.01710.x
Subject(s) - teamwork , self efficacy , identity (music) , psychology , sample (material) , structural equation modeling , graduate students , social psychology , pedagogy , management , physics , acoustics , chemistry , statistics , mathematics , chromatography , economics
A web‐based survey of members of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science tested a model that proposed that the effects of science support experiences on commitment to science careers would be mediated by science self‐efficacy and identity as a scientist. A sample of 327 undergraduates and 338 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows described their science support experiences (research experience, mentoring, and community involvement); psychological variables (science self‐efficacy, leadership/teamwork self‐efficacy, and identity as a scientist); and commitment to pursue a career in scientific research. Structural equation model analyses supported our predictions. Among the undergraduates, science (but not leadership/teamwork), self‐efficacy, and identity as a scientist fully mediated the effects of science support experiences and were strong predictors of commitment. Results for the graduate/postdoctoral sample revealed a very similar pattern of results, with the added finding that all three psychological mediators, including leadership/teamwork self‐efficacy, predicted commitment.