Attitude towards Scientific Research: Analysis of Psychology Students in Peru and Colombia

Abstract

The attitude towards scientific research is an indicator of educational quality in university education. The objective of this research was to determine the attitude towards scientific research in university psychology students from Peru and Colombia. The research was descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional. The sample comprised 1150 students enrolled in universities in Peru (546) and Colombia (604), identified through convenience sampling. The General Research Attitude Index instrument, which was adapted for the study, was applied for data analysis. The high reliability of the instrument was verified with a Cronbach's Alpha of .935. Regarding the results, it was found that students from Colombia had a high predisposition towards research (41.7%) compared to students from Peru (29.9%). Regarding knowledge about research, students in both countries adequately valued that the university promoted the development of scientific production (52.6% in Colombia and 54.3% in Peru). Regarding the evaluation of the quality of university teaching, students in Colombia perceived a higher quality in their education (8.27 out of 10), the quality of the program in which they were enrolled (8.51 out of 10), and the infrastructure of their university (8.44 out of 10). It is concluded that students from Colombia show a better attitude towards research (M=73.79, SD=12.96) than students from Peru (M=70.64, SD=11.80). the study recommends teachers to possess a greater pertinence of knowledge and experience to motivate a favorable attitude towards research and ensure its visibility.