From classroom to career: the unique role of communal processes in predicting interest in STEM careers

Abstract

The current studies investigated how interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers is predicted both by academic motivation as well as by beliefs that STEM careers allow the fulfillment of communal goals (i.e., communal affordances). This research also examines whether past course experiences of being exposed to communal information about STEM predicts increased beliefs that STEM careers afford communal goals. As anticipated, STEM communal affordances predicted increased STEM career interest, above and beyond the benefits of academic motivation/attitudes (e.g., positivity toward courses, intention to persist). Classroom exposure to communal opportunities in math and science predicted increased beliefs that STEM careers afford communal goals, and in turn predicted increased STEM career interest (Studies 2 and 3). Taken together, these studies suggest that focusing only on fostering STEM academic motivation may be insufficient to foster interest in STEM careers. Instead, focusing on both student academic motivation and student beliefs about whether STEM careers provide opportunities to pursue valued communal goals may provide a more holistic approach to fostering STEM career interest.