The relationship between mentor support experiences and STEM graduate student career optimism

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine J. Olson ◽  
Ann Hergatt Huffman ◽  
Kaylee Litson
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
School Satisfaction ◽  
Instrumental Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mentor Support ◽  
Career Optimism ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

PurposeUsing social cognitive career theory in tandem with gender role theory, the current research examines how instrumental and socioemotional mentor support experiences are linked to mentee career optimism among a sample of STEM graduate students. More specifically, this study examines how self-efficacy and school satisfaction mediate the relationship dependent on the gender of the student as well as the gender of the mentor.Design/methodology/approachA total of N = 828 (n = 408 women, n = 420 men) graduate students enrolled in one of 119 public STEM graduate programs in the USA participated in an online survey.FindingsResults suggest that student gender did not moderate the proposed mediation model. However, the instrumental support experiences → self-efficacy → career optimism mediation relationship was moderated by mentor gender with female mentors strengthening the relationship between mentor support experiences and optimism. Finally, same-gender mentor–student dyads experience consistency of school satisfaction regardless of instrumental mentor support experiences compared to the heterogeneous gender mentor–student dyads where school satisfaction is positively associated with mentor instrumental support.Originality/valueThis study expands Lent et al.'s (2015) social cognitive career model by providing an analysis of independent parallel mediation paths to examine the direct link between mentor support experiences and career optimism through self-efficacy and school satisfaction. Based on the findings, graduate programs should emphasize the importance of mentor support experiences and help graduate faculty explore how they can best provide mentor experiences to their mentees.

Utilizing the social cognitive career theory in understanding students' choice in selecting auditing as a career: evidence from Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lexis Alexander Tetteh ◽  
Cletus Agyenim-Boateng ◽  
Amoako Kwarteng ◽  
Paul Muda ◽  
Prince Sunu
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive Career Theory ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Career Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Selection Factors ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

PurposeThe study uses social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to explore the driving and restraining factors that students consider in selecting auditing as a career.Design/methodology/approachConsidering the aim of this study, a qualitative research was preferred with the objective of gathering in-depth and enriched empirical data; hence, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seventy-five fourth-year undergraduate accounting students of six top-ranked universities in Ghana that offer accounting programmes.FindingsThe findings of the current study unearth the constructs of the SCCT that students' decision to consider a career in audit is driven by outcome expectations (high earnings/monetary incentives and social prestige associated with the job), as well as self-efficacy belief (possession of ethical values). Further, the study finds that self-efficacy beliefs (job stress and accounting stereotype) were the factors restraining students from considering auditing as a career. The results finally show that the students who would choose auditing as a career in future are in one way or the other, preparing for the achievement of their goals.Research limitations/implicationsThe SCCT framework utilized focuses on the three main constructs: self-efficacy, outcome expectations and goals. There are a number of related factors that may influence students' career choice decisions. These may include personal characteristics and contextual influences; a change of the theoretical framework may help discover other important personal and contextual factors that this current study could not unearth.Practical implicationsThe study indicates, on the contrary, that students have negative perceptions about auditing as a career option; they consider the career as stressful, tedious and monotonous. These misconceptions make it less likely for a student to pursue auditing as a career. Educators can aid students in their decision to pursue a study in accounting and become auditors by displaying and reinforcing the positive outcomes that come with the position of an auditor.Originality/valueThe findings of this study add to the existing literature by delving deeper into the self-selection factors that influence a student's desire to become an auditor. Furthermore, the current research is exceptional in that it applies the SCCT to the aim of becoming an auditor. Although other research studies have looked into factors that may influence a student's decision to pursue a profession as an accountant, these studies have mostly been quantitative, limiting the students' ability to explain why those factors encourage or dissuade them.

Peer Science Self-Efficacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Deemer ◽  
Laura Reid Marks ◽  
Karen A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
The Hierarchical Structure ◽  
Contextual Support ◽  
Choice Intentions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

Social cognitive career theory posits that proximal contextual support variables exert both direct and indirect effects on individuals’ career choice intentions. The purpose of this study was to test this proposition by examining the hierarchical structure of efficacy beliefs and their relations to students’ intentions to pursue careers in science. Data were collected from a sample of undergraduate students ( N = 1,693) recruited from biology, chemistry, and physics courses. Results of multilevel modeling analyses indicated that aggregated peer science self-efficacy (PSSE) perceptions in the classroom were positively predictive of science career intentions (SCIs) while holding constant the Level 1 influence of science self-efficacy. Moreover, science interest was shown to mediate the relationship between PSSE and SCIs. Implications for career development research and practice are discussed.

How and when LMX quality relates to counterproductive performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 557-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.M. Jawahar ◽  
Bert Schreurs ◽  
Shawn J. Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Work Behavior ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Lagged ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose In spite of the recent meta-analysis by Martin et al. (2016), we have very little insight about the theoretical mechanism explaining the leader–member exchange–counterproductive work behavior (LMX–CWB) relationship. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the purpose of this paper is to test if occupational self-efficacy functions as a mediating mechanism to explain the relationship between LMX quality and counterproductive performance directed toward the supervisor. In addition, based on the conservation of resources theory, the paper investigates if supervisor–subordinate relationship tenure acted as a second-stage moderator of this mediated relationship. Design/methodology/approach The authors used two-wave time-lagged data from a sample of 189 high-tech professionals to test the hypotheses, controlling for age, sex, and trust. Findings The results of this paper showed that occupational self-efficacy carried the effect of LMX quality on counterproductive performance, but only for workers who have longer supervisor–subordinate relationship tenure. Originality/value This paper is unique in proposing and testing a social cognitive mechanism to explain the relationship between LMX quality and counterproductive performance. As Johns (2017) advocated, the authors incorporated length of time, a contextual variable into this study by investigating supervisor–subordinate relationship tenure as moderating the proposed mediated relationship.

Entrepreneurial career choice intentions among secondary students in Colombia: the role of entrepreneurial exposure

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Osorio Tinoco ◽  
Manoj Chandra Bayon ◽  
Guillermo Murillo Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Outcome Expectation ◽  
Career Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

PurposeBased on a theoretical framework grounded in the social-cognitive theory and its derivative the social-cognitive career theory, the main purpose of this paper is to examine the role of entrepreneurial exposure in moderating the relationship between self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention in the presence of different levels of outcome expectations.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 643 secondary students from Colombia, the authors tested the validity and reliability of scales used to measure the main constructs of the socio-cognitive career theory and used the construct of entrepreneurial exposure to examine contingent hypotheses using a four-step linear regression analysis.FindingsThe study results suggest that although the main social-cognitive career variables (self-efficacy and outcome expectation) and entrepreneurial exposure directly influence the formation of entrepreneurial intention and thus support previous findings, the authors also discover a new configuration of (interacting) antecedents. While on the one hand, even a low level of entrepreneurial exposure leads to a significant increase in the entrepreneurial intention of secondary students with high outcome expectation and high self-efficacy; on the other hand, high entrepreneurial exposure leads to a decrease in entrepreneurial intention among students with high entrepreneurial expectation and high self-efficacy.Research limitations/implicationsThe main implication of the study findings is although entrepreneurial exposure is beneficial for fostering entrepreneurial intention among secondary students, a high level of entrepreneurial exposure can have a detrimental effect especially among those with high self-efficacy and outcome expectations.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests implications and suggestions for educators to foster the development of entrepreneurial intentions among students.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence on the formation of entrepreneurial intention in a new setting. In addition, it improves one’s understanding of the main tenets of social-cognitive career theory by taking into account an important environment factor that can have a contrasting impact on the formation on entrepreneurial intention among adolescents.

Linking Protean Career Orientation with Career Optimism: Career Adaptability and Career Decision Self-Efficacy as Mediators

2020 ◽  
pp. 089484532091252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel Chui ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Hang-yue Ngo
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Career Decision ◽  
Career Orientation ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Protean Career ◽  
Social Construction Theory ◽  
Career Optimism ◽  
The Relationship

Protean career orientation has become prevalent among young workers in contemporary workplace. Little is known about whether this orientation is related to their positive expectation of future career development. We developed a conceptual model to investigate the relationship between protean career orientation and career optimism. Informed by social construction theory and social cognitive career theory, we considered career adaptability and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) as potential mediators in the model. Several hypotheses were proposed and tested with a sample of 170 undergraduate students in Hong Kong. The results of path analysis and bootstrapping indicated that protean career orientation has a positive relationship with career optimism, and such relationship is fully mediated by career adaptability and CDSE. Our study has yielded novel into how some individual differences factors affect the development of career optimism among university students.

Adolescent–Parent Career Congruence as a Predictor of Job Search Preparatory Behaviors: The Role of Proactivity

2021 ◽  
pp. 089484532199254
Author(s):  
Dian Ratna Sawitri ◽  
Peter A. Creed
Keyword(s):  
Job Search ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive Career Theory ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
Adolescent Parent ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

Based on social cognitive career theory, we examined the mediating roles of job search self-efficacy and outcome expectations in the relationship between adolescent–parent career congruence and job search preparatory behaviors and investigated the influence of proactivity as a moderator in these direct and indirect relationships. Participants were 236 Grade 10 and 11 Indonesian students (mean age 16 years, 67% male), who were attending a vocational education school and would not be progressing to post–high school study. After controlling for educational achievement, we found congruence to be associated with self-efficacy (24% of variance explained), outcome expectations (23%), and job search preparatory behaviors (46%). Self-efficacy, but not outcome expectations, was related to more preparatory behaviors, and self-efficacy fully mediated between congruence and preparatory behaviors. Proactivity moderated the direct relationships between congruence and self-efficacy and outcome expectations, but not preparatory behaviors, and did not moderate any of the indirect relationships.

Overconfidence of vocational education students when entering higher education

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark P. Bowden ◽  
Subhash Abhayawansa ◽  
John Bahtsevanoglou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – There is evidence that students who attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) prior to entering higher education underperform in their first year of study. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of self-efficacy in understanding the performance of students who completed TAFE in the previous year in a first year subject of microeconomics in a dual sector university in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilises data collected by surveys of 151 students. Findings – A student’s self-efficacy is positively associated with their marks in a first year subject of microeconomics. However, the relationship between final marks and self-efficacy is negative for those students who attended TAFE in the previous year suggesting that they suffer from the problem of overconfidence. When holding self-efficacy constant, using econometric techniques, TAFE attendance is found to be positively related to final marks. Research limitations/implications – The findings are exploratory (based on a small sample) and lead to a need to conduct cross institutional studies. Practical implications – The research points to the need for early interventions so that TAFE students perform well in their first year of higher education. It also points to potential issues in the development of Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) programs. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the inter-related impact of attendance at TAFE in the previous year and self-efficacy on the subsequent academic performance of TAFE students.

Unravelling the nexus between creative self-efficacy, humble leadership, innovative work behaviour and job performance amongst physicians in public hospitals

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joather Al Wali ◽  
Rajendran Muthuveloo ◽  
Ai Ping Teoh
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Innovative Work ◽  
Innovative Work Behaviour ◽  
Creative Self ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Humble Leadership

PurposeThe study aims to examine the relationship between innovative work behaviour (IWB) and JP amongst physicians in Iraq public hospitals. The study also determines the effects of creative self-efficacy (CSE) and humble leadership (HL) on IWB. Besides, the study investigates the mediating role of IWB on the relationship between CSE and JP as well as between HL and JP.Design/methodology/approachA total of 332 respondents participated in the survey, although 173 responses were utilised after data screening. The study employs the structural equation modelling via partial least squares (PLS-SEM) to ascertain the relationship between the variables.FindingsEvidence from the study indicates that IWB has a positive relationship with JP, whilst CSE and HL are significant determinants of IWB amongst physicians in Iraq public hospitals. The study provides evidence that IWB plays a positive mediating role in the relationship between CSE and JP as well as between HL and JP amongst physicians in Iraq public hospitals.Originality/valueThe study implies that the JP of physicians in Iraq public hospitals can be enhanced by IWB, whilst the latter can be improved by CSE and HL. The influences of CSE and HL on JP can be boosted by IWB. Hence, efforts to promote IWB should be vigorously pursued by Iraq public hospitals to foster the physicians' JP.

scholarly journals Students Attitudes Surrounding STEM: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Instrument for High School

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
EmilyKate McDonough ◽  
Kayle S Sawyer ◽  
Jessica Wilks ◽  
Berri Jacque
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Social Cognitive Career Theory ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Career Awareness ◽  
Career Selection ◽  
Intervention Efficacy ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
Social Cognitive Career

To meet the demand of the growing science and health sectors in the United States, there is a critical necessity to engage more people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). To broaden participation in STEM, we must understand the factors that shape perspectives and beliefs around career selection. Good measurement of these factors is crucial to quantify how effectively educational interventions impact student attitudes towards STEM. Adolescents are particularly suited for quantifying intervention efficacy because students build their identities during these formative years and make important career choices. To better quantify intervention efficacy at the high school level, we developed an instrument entitled Student Attitudes Surrounding STEM (SASS), which builds upon the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) framework for understanding career selection. Questionnaire responses were collected from 932 high school students, and split into samples of 400 for exploratory factor analysis and 532 for confirmatory factor analysis. The questions clustered into six factors: self-efficacy experience, self-efficacy academic, outcome expectations, interests, negative perceptions of scientists, and career awareness. The SASS exhibited adequate construct validity as determined by fit indices and theoretical considerations. Furthermore, the instrument demonstrated criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. This tool represents a novel integration of three latent variables into SCCT, negative perceptions of scientists, career awareness, and an experience factor for self-efficacy.

The power of peers

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 214-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedetta Bellò ◽  
Veronica Mattana ◽  
Michela Loi
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Although the role of creativity in the entrepreneurial process has long been analysed, only recently scholars have begun addressing its influence on entrepreneurial intentions, showing that complex dynamics characterise this relationship. The purpose of this paper is to understand the surrounding mechanisms (moderation and mediation) that connect creativity to entrepreneurial intentions, with a focus on social context and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 507 students from 17 to 21 years old. The effect of creativity on entrepreneurial intentions and the moderating role of social context were tested with a three-step hierarchical regression, while the mediating effect of self-efficacy was tested by a multiple regression analysis based on the bootstrapping method. Findings The results reveal that: peers who encourage entrepreneurship moderate the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurial intentions by strengthening this relationship, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy mediates the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurial intentions. Research limitations/implications In light of these results, institutions should draw attention to how creative potential in students differs in order to provide new educational programmes to strengthen self-efficacy in entrepreneurial students and support encouraging social context of peers in which entrepreneurial intentions can be fostered. Originality/value The study, by responding to the suggestions of conducting research on the interface between creativity and entrepreneurship (Shane and Nicolaou, 2015), brings new empirical details regarding the mechanisms that link creativity to entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, it casts light on the interaction between dispositional and social variables, showing the crucial role of peers in enhancing the interaction between creativity and intentions.

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